Stuck In The Impossible
by NeverShoutRawr
Summary: Taylor isn't clumsy but she does fall. When she falls she has a habit of finding alternate realities. At least that's what happened this time. This world bombards her with cosplaying psychos and apparently a childhood memory. So how is she going to live?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

The spring night air was thick and smelled of pollen. My allergies couldn't have been worse even if I had shoved every single flower straight up my nose. Whipping my legs over my bed I trudged through my messy room to open my window.

My room was becoming stuffy and oddly uncomfortable. Out of the corner of my peripherals I caught a glimpse of myself. Turning fully towards my reflection I noticed my eyes looking especially red. I groaned at the thought of having to implement eye drops.

Listening carefully to hear if anyone was awake, I tip-toed to the bathroom. Bath & Body Works overwhelmed my nose. A refreshing feeling compared to my hot suffocating room.

I swung the medicine cabinet open, my eyes scanning the rows of remedies. Finally I found the Visine. Holding it in my hand I weighed my options. Allergies. Eye drops. Allergies . . . Eye drops.

With a flick of the wrist the cap was off and I was looking to the ceiling. Feeling my feet become weirdly placed I looked back down. Soapy water. My little step-brother must've taken his bath not too long beforehand. "Isaiah." I growled.

As to not swear I clutched the necklace that hung loosely around my neck. A symbol of my undying fangirlism for a fictional character. Yet my dying fantasy with an anime; Naruto.

Letting out a heavy sigh, I rebalanced myself and looked up once more. 'I bet the Akatsuki don't have to put up with allergies.' I complained to myself, referring to the villains in Naruto's plot.

While I subconsciously began to put eye drops in, I day dreamed of how things might've gone if my own reality was filled with things like ninjas. When the drop of Visine finally dropped to my eyes, it caught me off guard.

Suddenly panicked, I lost the little balance I had and my feet went out from under me. I tried to catch myself on the sink but failed miserably. My feet slipped and slid on the tiled floor. In a large bathroom, I may have just fell on my butt. Except my bathroom wasn't particularly big, in fact it was a downright small bathroom, so in the end my head collided with the bath tub.

* * *

Sunlight hit my groggy eyes. Cautiously I sat up, my head throbbing with every pulse of blood. Trying to ease the pain I gently rubbed the back of my head. When I pulled my hand away I examined it for any signs of further injury. Only a blonde strand of hair. "That's good." _I think._

The background behind my hand starting coming into focus. Grass. Staring at it for a second, I tried to think- how had I gotten in grass? My eyes slowly looked around. More specifically how had I gotten in a forest?

With no plausible theory I concluded with only one thing; What would Theodore Roosevelt do? Brought to a new wave of inspiration I thrust myself from my seated position. "He'd get the hell outta this forest! That's what he'd do!" I exclaimed.

Doing a quick 360 I glanced around for somewhere to start my expedition. A more lightly wooded area peeked through a honey suckle bush. Normally I might've stopped and sucked on a couple flowers, but sadly they didn't seem ripe enough. Nor was the my first priority either.

I squeezed through spots and ducked under branches. Within a minute or so I broke though my shrubbery barrier. A light sense of accomplishment waved over me. The only thing left to do was pick a direction to go. I couldn't write with my left hand so right was the way to go!

The forest was at least pretty. Where ever I was, they had nice hiking trails. Though the farther I walked the less I felt it was a hiking trail The path seemed barely treaded and not worn in the least. A light thought popped in my head of some adventurous quad rider letting my hop a ride.

I frowned at the improbability. A girl could dream right?

The path just seemed to wind on and on. It forced grumbles of laziness from me. Surprisingly through my own complaints I heard grumblings even louder than mine. Two heads bopped above the hill ahead of me. With the sun shining in my eyes I squinted to quickly evaluate the oncoming strangers. Before they noticed I focused my attention on the woods to my right, so I wouldn't have to make awkward 'hello's.' When I came into their sights, the arguing halted. I felt nervousness creep up on me. I took the seem of my shirt into hand, a nervous trait I'd always had.

Keeping my eyes locked on passing trees, I couldn't help but steal another glance at them. They were wearing cloaks. Familiar cloaks. Cosplay maybe? Now not only was I nervous, I felt intimidated too. People in costumes have that effect on me.

I held my breath as I passed by them. Not that they probably even noticed. As soon as they were behind me I let go of my tension and clutched my pendant. 'Thank God that's over.' Refocusing on the path ahead of me a voice sounded behind me. "The fuck?" More chances that not, it wouldn't have bothered me if a series of aggressive steps hadn't started running up behind me.

A hand grabbed my shoulder and yanked me around. A tall man glared down at me. I could only look up, shocked and slightly terrified. "What are you clutching?" He hissed venomously.

Immediately I released the pendant. His lavender eyes narrowed, not looking away from the necklace. While he was distracted for what ever reason I seized the moment and ran for it. I spun in the direction I had been heading towards and ran like I never had before. Surprisingly I tapped into the memory of my annoying middle school basketball coach telling me to run on the balls of my feet. Who knew she'd come in handy? Almost unnoticeably I gained some speed. With my eyes squeezed shut I ran aimlessly.

My escape was sabotaged by a figure. More specifically by that man. Scared stiff I gawked at the man in front of me once again. "Where the hell do you think you're going, love?" Before I bolted again he seized my pendant and pulled me closer. "Now your going to tell me where you got this, got it?"

The tightened necklace started pinching off my airway. I blinked up at the man. What was going on? Was this man _insane_? Did he even know what I was going to do when I got to the nearest police station? "Let go! Or I'm calling the police!" I wheezed.

My hand scurried for my pocket for my cellphone nevertheless being caught in another clutch. "Just tell me where you got the pendant, bitch!"

"Get away you cosplaying freak!" I snarled.

"Cosplaying? I'm not cosplaying!" The man snapped incredulously. "Don't you know who I am?"

I eyeballed his look. He was indeed wearing a cosplay Akatsuki robe, his chest was exposed more than needed, and a pendant identical to mine hung around his neck. "Hidan." I stated dryly.

His grip on my wrist tightened, bringing out an even more alarming color of red "That's right, you little _bitch_. Now tell me where you got that pendant!"

I tried to rip out of his grip. "It's-" I tugged. "None of-" My hand began to slip out of his hand. "Your business!" Using one last jolt, my hand was free and a snap echoed to me ears. I fell to the ground paying to attention to anything but being terrified..

The cosplaying Hidan dove for me but I was already on my feet and off. This time I ran into the dense woods. "You bitch!" He growled behind me. On an adrenalin rush I dodged branches and jumped over boulders. Not gaining one inch from him I ran as hard as I could under the circumstances. "Just wait 'till I get a hold you!" He cackled maniacally. His voice was overcame with excitement, like he was getting a sick thrill from chasing me down.

Almost in tears I emerged from the woods only to find a small canyon. Without another thought I leapt with everything I had left. A quick peer below my feet made any color left in me, drain. My stomach slammed into the edge of the cliff. With all of the wind knocked out of me, I struggled to get a foothold . A displaced root helped me scramble to pull myself up.

I trembled on my stomach as I inhaled deeply. What the hell? Was that man on meth or something? Did he seriously- _**KA-CHANK**_!

A three bladed scythe dug into cliff side, mere centimeters from my stomach. I let out a shriek and jumped to my feet. I spun on my heals to face the maniac. He stood gripping a chain that extended to the scythe. This Hidan-man screeched joyfully as he yanked it back to his hand. "Really?" I shouted more at God than at the man trying to hunt me down.

Not sparing a second I turned from the canyon scene and rushed into the wooded area. "Think you can run? Just you wait!"

Before I could hear anymore his voice diminished. As I neared a giant oak tree I let myself slow down. Not to far behind me was the pain that caught up with me. My lungs quivered with exhaustion and my legs begged to give out. Unwillingly to become a sitting duck, I peeked over my shoulder. Surely that horrifying psycho was far behind. Was that man just having a psychotic episode again? Or was it me?

"That was pretty real back there, though." There was no way it was just a dream from some coma and it definitely wasn't a drug rush considering I'd never tried them. Gnawing at my inner cheek I trudged past the giant tree.

An image of this 'Hidan' raced through my mind. He had every flawless feature the true Hidan had. 'Maybe this isn't a cosplayer's psychotic episode and maybe I'm not dead or whatever . . .' I said softly in my head. There was only one other theory I let my mind wonder to. Had I possibly entered another dimension when I hit my head? And that dimension was actually a place where Naruto was a reality? Hell, why not? I mean I was just attacked by a sinister psycho.

Coming to no other conclusion, I figured I would just go with it. When something came along that proved me wrong- well I'd cross that bridge when I came to it. For then, ignorance was bliss.

* * *

I found my way back to a trail that I hoped was in the direction I was initially going. All that I knew was that, somehow I had found a way to switch realities,- or something- I still had my phone and my outfit, and I might've been on an Akatsuki hit list.

Weird enough I had some service, not full bars-age but enough.

I attempted several times to make calls, to which failed. "Damn it!" Pounding the end button I slid it back into my back pocket. What's the use of having cell phone if you can't even use it in parallel universes?

For the first time since my encounter with Hidan, I took in my surroundings. The forest was thinning out, I could see a beautiful blue sky over head. What little trees did block the sky, wove together at the tops. The path was becoming more weathered the farther I went on and unnatural smells filtered the air. The aromas almost were that of a fair or a bar. I couldn't really decipher.

Low and behold a town came into partial view. It was bordered with trees, but I could still make it out. Bustling people were scrambling all over, not once stepping foot outside of the town. With less trees to sift the air, more smells shot at me. I'd never smelled such things in my entire life.

Astoundingly I wasn't run over when I made my way into the lively area. People just passed me without a single care. I seemed to be going against the natural flow of things, seeing as how everyone was either going to my right or left and I was cutting straight through their unorganized rows. Still no one said a thing, only kept going.

When I was out of the primary rush of things, the more business looking area seemed less busy, but still crowded. I was afraid to stop and look around so I just kept walking. As the town progressed the streets thinned out. My aching legs wanted to find a place to sit but again I neglected them. An elderly woman was sweeping the street in front of a small shop.

"Ma'am?" I smiled sweetly. The small woman jumped a small bit. "Oh I'm sorry for-"

"Dun't ya know it's ruhd to scur people!" The woman scowled. "I cood'a killed o'r, ya know!" Her accent made up for her height's lack of intimidation.

My nerves found their way to my voice. "Uh- I- I- really didn't- I just-"

The scowl on her face was replaced with a smile. Her face reminded me of scrunched up aluminum foil. "Oh dun't you wurry then." She held her short broom like a cane. "Now, can I h'lp ya?"

I cleared my throat. "Well I was wondering if you knew a place I could stay for the night."

Her lips pursed. "Where ya from?"

Crap. 'Well I'm from a small place in America. Oh you don't know where that is? You wouldn't it's in a complete over reality.' "I'm from Konohagakure." I smiled again. "I'm seeing the world before I become a full-fledged shinobi."

Her face lit up. Hook, line, and sinker. "Ah! Muh der, I see!" She shuffled into her shop and set her broom somewhere then shuffled back. "I have jus thuh place fer ya!" At last, God was giving me a break! "I suppose ya're hungr' then, ta?" Her voice was filled with such hope, I was happy to oblige.

"Actually, I kind of am." I said faking a shyness.

"Well why dun ya jus f'llow me!" She clasped her hands and began farther into the town. She began to babble on about something, but I couldn't make heads or tails of any of it. While she led me to my meal I examined the town. No two places looked exactly alike. Small shops were scattered everywhere. Rapidly houses began to replace them.

Soon enough houses and apartments were only occasionally separated by shops. In next to no time the elderly woman waddled her way into one of the rare shops. It was a bakery. A young couple was seated in a corner, otherwise it was empty. Slow day?

"Aki!" The elderly woman called. She looked over her shoulder at me. "This is muh boy's shop. He'll take cur o' ya real good." Her face contorted to impatience. "Aki!" She half yelled.

A young man nonchalantly walked out from what I figured was the kitchen. He was wiping his hands off on his apron. "Mother. Lower your voice."

So this was her boy. "Aki, if ya'd jus ansur meh evureh once in awhile, I wouldn't haf ta!"

Aki gave me a quick look then back at his mother. "Mother, you don't come to see me unless you want something." He crossed his arms over his chest. "What is it now?"

The woman shook her head. "Na, boy, ya lissun her," She yanked me by the hand and shoved me in front of her. "This young'n is tuhr'd from a vury long juhrney. Beh a gen'lman and geev her a nice mehl, and a warm bed."

Her demands made me feel selfish and imposing. I could feel my face flushing. Plus Aki's stare didn't help either. You'd think a cold look would make you want to punch someone, but who'd ever bite the hand that might be feeding it? Trying to be as polite as possible I gave a deep bow. "Please take care of me." If anyone had ever said I wasn't humble, I'd have loved for them to see me then.

Terrified to even think about coming back up from my posture, I stayed in the deep bow. Why wasn't anyone saying anything? Had Masashi Kishimoto just added Japanese culture to that of some far off reality not knowing of the stupidity it could cause? A loud chuckle erupted breaking my thoughts. A strong arm pulled me up again. Aki had a large grin across his face. He shook his head, trying to shake off his laughter. His smile was probably the best thing since sliced bread. Though, that's not too great if you ask me.

"You know what, Mother? I got this." Aki said through heaves. He waved his hands at her as if to say 'shoo-shoo.'

'Mother' gave me one last wrinkled smile and waddled back out of the bakery, leaving me with Aki. I hadn't thought to take notice to it before but, where on earth did she get a southern accent? As she hobbled out of sight I rose an eyebrow to her back.

"Mothers." Aki breathed.

I turned back to face the baker. His hands on his hips he was shaking his head at his mom. His hair was perfectly messy and the flour covering him added a certain cuteness to him. Suddenly his face fell. "So, what do you want?" So much for the cute factor…

More than uncertain about how to act with him I simply coughed. Hadn't he just told his mom he'd help me?

The look he gave me made me feel like I was stupider than dog with a bag over its head. Seeming agitated he began to massage his temple. "Listen if you are uncomfortable with your arrangements I can fix that."

Aki didn't have to try to hard with the subtle hints. Obviously he didn't want to be bothered with my awkwardness. But to be honest, there were only so many _good _people willing to give me a meal and a place to stay. "No! I'm fine. If you don't mind." Aki rose an eyebrow at me.

"Alright then." His hands land on his hips. "One condition though." I straightened out my back. Condition? "You'll work for me, so there will be no mooching."

I sucked in my breath. To be honest, I had never worked a day in my life. This was supposed to be a vacation until I somehow returned home! He was ruining everything! "No problem." I heard myself say.

'Are you stupid?' I inwardly yelled.

A slick smile came upon his face. "Great, I'm glad we see eye to eye." He walked back behind his glass counter and into his kitchen. Instinctively I ensued him. His kitchen wasn't what I expected. It was large and spacious. A center counter was a mess of ingredients, but otherwise the kitchen was spotless.

For a second I forgot about Aki and admired the almost modern features. There was a large oven in the wall on top of a smaller one. Cabinets and drawers were graciously placed through out the room. Even a refrigerator sat in a corner. Why the small things shocked me I'm not sure. I guess I didn't expect to see fridges.

Thinking about to what my motive had been in I remember Aki. Turning back to the direction he'd gone, I was met with something to my face. My hand yanked it off of my face defensively. Aki stood smirking not too far ahead. Had he thrown the it? In my hands was a thing green apron.

"There's your uniform." He stated with amusement of my expressions.

After a short untangling session I found the ties for my stomach. "What, I start now?"

"Naturally."

Suppressing a growl I tied on the apron. Aki gave me the run down of my duties. The cleaning, the serving, the money, it all was quite simple and I wasn't sure how he made a living. Though that really didn't pertain to me, did it? My long hair only pestered me to further extent. Impatiently I tugged my hair into a neat ponytail.

After an short war with my hair I noticed Aki was missing. Poking my head out of the kitchen I found him. He was pulling a large down. It reminded me of my dad's garage door. But why was he doing that? "Aki." I called shyly.

Once he had the door down and locked shut he turned to me. "Hmm?"

I wiggled a finger at the bakery entrance. "What're ya doin'?"

Spinning to see the object of my attention he simply shrugged. "Closing?"

"Why?"

He lifted an eyebrow at me. "It's getting slow, and not to mention late." The way he said it though it was like he was questioning of I knew that. Exasperated at the fact, I couldn't tell if I had woken up early or if maybe time had gotten the best of me.

"Oh."

Before I knew it Aki brushed past me fiddling with his apron ties. I watched him hang it on a hook. It seemed almost habitual as he brushed his shirt off and began back another hallway I'd missed earlier. The farther he went the more I wondered if I was to follow him.

Almost as though he heard my thoughts. He halted abruptly and looked over he shoulder at me. "Coming?" A little dumbfounded I raced to catch up. I felt like an ignorant two year-old, knowing only to follow their mother

Up a small set of stairs we came to a small split area. There were three doors. "Well, here we are." Aki huffed. I looked around. All three doors were closed. He didn't expect me to follow him into a room did-

"You'll sleep in here." Aki swung a door inwards. It was small but quaint. "I'll be in this room." He pointed to the door across from mine. "And this is the bathroom." He tapped the door in between us. "Need anything else?"

I smiled at him. "Oh no, nothing." I started into my room. Aki caught my wrist. I spun back around to face him. "Need something?" I laughed nervously.

He released my hand. "I just realized, I didn't get your name."

Relieved that that was all he wanted I flashed a smile. "Oh it's Taylor."

* * *

**This is the updated version of the first chapter so it is a little short. Itachi as you can see hasn't arrived yet. So how about a review for some love? Hmm? **


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Three large knocks jolted me from my sleep-filled night. Making sickening cracks my back twisted so I could glare at the door. "It's the weekend!" I growled aggressively. _God Mom!_ She knew better than to do this to me. As I repositioned myself in bed, the door swung open. Even more aggravated I sat up and snapped my attention to the character keeping me awake.

But Mom wasn't standing there. Instead a goaded man stood there. What was a stranger doing in my house? Warily looking around I realized I wasn't in my room. In fact I wasn't even in my house. And that man wasn't just a stranger, he was the man that was going to feed me. Wryly I smiled at Aki. "G-Good morning."

He quirked an eyebrow at me. Without a single word he turned and walked away. "Mother brought you a change of clothes. Shower if you want." His voice disappeared down the stairwell.

Not a dream.

"Just great." I huffed. Gulping down a gust of air I forced myself up and out of bed. Sneaking a quick look out my door to make sure the coast was clear I shuffled into the bathroom. It was simple and much cleaner than I expected for that of a single man. Sitting on the toilet was the promised change of clothes. They weren't too different from any of the clothes I owned. Except I was sure they would more suit a person in _Dinotopia_ or something along that lines.

As I stripped from my own clothes I heard something hit the floor. Surprised, I kicked my pants over to expose my cell phone. "Oh." Bending over I gently picked up the appliance. The night before I had turned it off after receiving no results with my calls. I wondered if I would have any missed calls or text messages if I try to turn it on again. Pursing my lips I sat in on top of my new clothes. _No sense in worrying about it now, _I figured.

The shower was needed more than I had realized. Usually I was always in a rush to get in and out, this time I took my time and let the water refresh me. It gave me the comfort that I had, oh so, wanted. After absorbing as much time as I could taking a shower I at long last got out. The mirror was steamed and I could barely made myself out. The new set of clothes fit nicely underneath the green apron. In one of the large pockets I tucked my cell phone away. Barely even noticeable. With one last snicker I was down the stairs and into the kitchen.

"Well I'm glad you could join us." Aki's voice sounded.

Snapping to awareness I found him standing with a tray of pastries. "Yeah, sorry about that." A wave of embarrassment rushed to my face. I bit my lip and made an effort to check out the shop. "So we open?"

"Mm-hmm."

I turned back to ask him about my duties and discovered him icing a cake. It was white and didn't have a single imperfection to be seen. He was layering on a blue flower when he caught me staring. "What are you, some kind of creepy bird?" He looked back down to his cake.

_This is why you are single. _Silently counting to ten I grinned. "What can I do?" Aki squeezed his eyes shut as he seemed to be trying to calm himself. Wasn't he the one that wanted me to work?

Setting down the icing he opened his eyes. "Why don't you go buy some ingredients?" Aki's smile was thus forced and it made me so frustrated, that I wanted to kick a puppy.

My face brightened. _I can do that_. I nodded vigorously as I tried to find a notepad to make a grocery list on. Every supply he named off I scribbled down. To be honest I just really couldn't imagine staying in the same room as that man for another minute. He handed me money that he said was enough for everything. "Maybe I'll get some customers too." I said absentmindedly on my way out. Aki chuckled softly as I left.

People were out and about in the same fashion as the day before. Aki had given me directions to the area in town where I could get the supplies, but the crowd confused me to a degree. I entered the main stream of people as if they would just show me the way. Aki had made it seem like town was a labyrinth that would swallow me whole if I wasn't careful. I should've known it was just going to be a couple of blocks and a few turns.

Once I squeezed out from the crowd into the branch of markets, relatively few people were there. Not too many bistros were in this area. The ones that were there had customers quietly chatting and enjoying small treats. A nice change from the clamoring crowd I had just been in. The basket, that I snatched from Aki's kitchen, swayed on my arm as I admired the rows of delicate spices and baking necessities.

Soon enough I began picking out the specifics Aki requested. When ever I had visited the grocery store with my family, I always skulked and shot glares to the children cheering over the Oreos. Somehow though, I liked this. It was different and relaxing. Boy, would my mom ever be proud to see my now. While I examined a bundle of carrots a hand slipped them out of my hands. "Hey!"

I tried to take them back but another, better, bundle was given to me. A sweet middle-aged woman beamed at me. "Uh- thank you."

She set the old carrots back on the pile vegetables. "No problem, I love helping a young mother." Still being pleasant she picked up a watering hose without turning away.

"Well that's supp-" I stopped mid-sentence. What had she just said to me? Young mother? "Excuse me?"

The woman began spraying the vegetables with the hose. "It's so hard to do the shopping alone." She chuckled. "But toddlers can be so hard to handle." A playful grimace played across her face.

She honestly thought I was mom. Glancing at my attire, I can't say I blamed her. The apron and the basket just made me seem the part. And, who was I to tell her 'no?' I sighed as I switched arms with the basket. "Yes, I just moved into town too." A most believable grimace played on my face. "I still don't shop all the great." If I pulled at the rights heart strings . . .

A sympathetic nod escaped from the woman. As if a light bulb went of in her head she lit up. "How about I give you some helpful goods?"

Sucker. I gasped, "Oh, I could never take anything without paying!"

She simply waved me off. "From one mother to another, as I say." Over the next couple minutes she gathered things like flour, eggs, and sugar and handed them to me one by one. Who would have ever thought being considered an underage mom would ever work for me? When she handed me the very last provision she merely offered to host a play date and I was off again. Some may think that swindling a kind woman would make you feel bad, but in fact I felt clever. Clever and talented.

Despite the fact that for a split second I felt at the tip of my wits, measly steps away from the woman's sight I crashed into someone. I fell back onto my butt waiting for the sound of breaking eggs. When my surroundings refused to deliver such sounds I slowly cracked my eyes open. A pair of feet stood in front of me. My eyes followed the feet all the way to the hands that held my basket and into the face of it's beholder. Blue skin and daunting eyes were fixed upon me. "You okay there?"

I rushed to my feet. "I am so sorry!" There was no way I wanted to be on _this _man's bad side. "I should've been watching where I went. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

He grinned revealing his signature sharp teeth. "I'm not the one who fell on my butt. Now am I?" His large hand patted my head and handed me my basket. The large blue man peered over the ingredients. "Got everything?"

Embarrassed for having forgot to check, I scurried through my basket. "Eggs…" There. "Sugar. . ." Alright. "Milk." Yep. Everything seemed in check. Thank God. Just as I was about to thank him and get away from him as quickly as possible an icy voice rung out behind him.

"Kisame."

I automatically shrunk down, even before Kisame stepped around to reveal a flour-covered Uchiha. Of course, where ever Kisame was, Itachi was sure to follow. In his hands he held the bag of flower I had failed to remember. Kisame snorted at the sight but he wasn't the one being shot daggers, was he? "I am _so _sorry!" I squeaked with a deep bow. Was my bad luck ever going to end?

Little by little I straightened back out. With the largest amount of force ever I looked at Itachi. His expression hadn't changed. He still stood giving me an almost unreadable expression. "Here." Itachi handed over my bag of flour. My hands were unexpectedly still as I took it back. "Come along now, Kisame." Almost as quickly as they had appeared they were about to leave.

I had just humiliated myself in front of yet another pair of Akatsuki. A sense of redemption swept over me. "Wait!" Kisame peeked back at me. "Let me make it up to you!"

The large shark man bat his eyes curiously at me. "How so?"

"I work at a bakery. Our stuff is pretty good, why don't I treat you?" Truth be told I still hadn't had anything from the bakery. But it was the only thing I could offer. Plus I was not going to have another criminal wanting my head on a platter.

"How about that Itachi-kun?" Kisame sang. "We haven't had sweets in awhile!"

Itachi's body seemed to sigh, but from the back, it's hard to tell. He turned back to me. "Show us the way." I lit up, instantly excited. I spun in the direction I had come. At the sight of the busy crowded Kisame grumbled something to Itachi that I couldn't back out.

"Hey, girl." I smiled up at the large man in response. "Do we have to go through there." He wagged a finger towards the crowd

I nodded, oblivious to his discomfort. "It's just on the other side!"

"In that case…" Kisame shoved me over his shoulder. And I swear I didn't blink, but almost as if in a millisecond we were on the other side of the crowd. He set me back down.

Speechless, all I could do was close and open my hands. "M-My basket?" I looked at my hands. They were empty. My hands just kept opening and closing as I blinked at Kisame. Before I could whine in confusion my basket was back. Itachi had handed it to me.

He must've spotted my confusion. "You dropped it when Kisame picked you up." His explanation didn't have a trace of emotion. "Continue leading us."

Devoid of hesitation I turned away. _What a scary man_. Kisame stood beside me filled to the brim with anticipation. To get my mind off of the person following us I beamed up at him. "Do you like sweets, Kisame-kun?" He reminded me of a boy I'd seen standing in the candy isle of Wal-Mart once.

"Not particularly." He shrugged. _Eh? _He rolled his shoulders back, causing his large sword to clatter. "It's just that I haven't had them in some time." Must be hard to be a wanted criminal

I mouthed an "Oh" and placed my attention back on the street ahead of us. Seeing the bakery come into sight I pointed it out to them. Only then did I think of Aki. How was I going to explain the infamous cloaks accompanying me? They could be considered customers right? In order to try and get to Aki before them, I picked up my pace slightly.

As expected, the shop was empty. "Ak-ki." My voice cracked as Kisame stood beside me again.

"How long does it take to-" Aki's voice abruptly stopped. He had appeared from the kitchen, wiping his hands on his apron. While he took in the sight of us he continued. "Get a few things." Quicker than I've ever seen before he recomposed himself. "Customers?"

I weakly pulled a smile, on the other hand it might have been more of a 'don't-kill-me' look. "I caused these two trouble, and figured I should treat them."

Instead of flying off the handle as I expected, Aki grinned. "Well choose any items you'd wish. Sorry my worker caused any grief."

Kisame walked over to the show case of delights. Without a second of delay he pointed to a chocolate éclair. Aki handled it as if it was a jewel and delicately delivered it. Overjoyed Kisame hardly held back. He devoured it so fast that I'm sure he didn't enjoy it like he could've if he would taken is his good ol' time. While he licked his the last of the chocolate icing from his fingers, I realized Itachi next to me. "I-Itachi-san." He looked at me from the corner of his eyes. "Don't you want something too?"

"It's too early for sugar."

Dead pan.

That man gave off such an cold personality. Cold or boring, I really couldn't tell which. His words made my nose wrinkle. The act of denying someone's generosity is purely rude! At that point I didn't care how intimidating Itachi Uchiha was, I wasn't going to sit back and take it. Reaching boiling point my arm shot out and punched him in the arm.

Itachi snapped a bloodcurdling glare my way. That didn't faze me anymore- at least not too much. "All I'm doing is trying to make up for getting a little flour on your ugly cloak! You don't have to be so bad-mannered to a stranger!" Within the five seconds that I let loose on him, he had closed in on me and was glowering down on me. So it was possible to evoke an emotion from him.

"Have, I struck a nerve Itachi-san?"

Something passed through his eyes as I said his anem. He threw one last look at me and walked out of the shop. "That's mature." I growled loud enough for him to hear.

Right before he was out of sight I could see his fist curl even tighter. At any rate I had succeeded in getting a reaction from the dummy. On the other hand- Mission Stay-Off-Of-Psychos-Hit-List . . . Astronomical failure.

"Itachi-kun!" Kisame dashed from the bakery only muttering a 'thank you.'

Still in a huff about the latest scene I sat at one of the booths along the wall. One of my pass times back home was brooding over things that really didn't matter, different universes really doesn't change much. That jerk! After all I had gone through the trouble of bringing him all the way here. All he had to do was shove his face to make me feel better, but no! "Ugh!"

"The Akatsuki, really?" Aki broke my inner temper tantrum.

"Huh?"

He stood at the table with his arms across his chest. "You do realize that you brought high ranking criminals here, right?"

My jaw hung open slightly. "I got flour on Itachi-san's cloak."

"Itachi-san?" His eyes narrowed. "You're giving honorifics to a murderous convict? Even worse, you probably scared away what little customers I had! Then you just had to punch him! You punched an S-rank shinobi!" The way he put was putting it, my actions did seem a little stupid.

"But he was being rude…" My voice trailed off. Maybe it wasn't the best decision. Nonetheless he really shouldn't be exempt from etiquette. I began twiddling with the bottom of the apron. "I'm sorry, Aki."

Suddenly he plopped down across from me. Aki leaned his head back with a sigh. "Don't fiddle with the apron, it's not lady-like."

Immediately I dropped the seem. "Aki, are you angry?"

He glanced out from under open of his eyelids at me. Shutting it again he shook his head. "Don't worry about it." A smirk looked as if it wanted to show itself to me. "Perhaps the big guy will go tell his buddies about us, hmm?"

A giggle threatened to escape as Aki leaned forward on the table. "Did you _see _how that man inhaled that pastry?" I clamped a hand over my mouth to keep back the laughter, only encouraging him further, "And 'Itachi-san'! Who pissed in his eye socket last night?" Unable to hold out any longer I freed the pent up cackles. Aki's smile just grew. He sat back in his seat and watched me laugh. Pain started to shoot up my abs to my throat. It was like I was doing a million sit ups a second.

I probably would've continued my laughing fit if my stomach wouldn't have let out a large gurgle. My already red face turned a even more awkward shade of burgundy. "I-I-uh. . ." Entwisting the apron in my fingers again I focused on my lap and not the man in front of me.

He leaned over the countertop and smacked my hand. "I told you to stop that! People are going to think you're weird! Now come on." Aki stood from me and sauntered off into the kitchen. I only sat there, because for some unknown reason, 'Now come one.' was not clear enough for me. Aki poked his head back out of the kitchen. "Do you want food or not?"

That's right. It wasn't my fault for my stomach demanded food. In fact it was his obligation to feed me. Yet up to that point I hadn't eaten a darn thing. I jogged into the kitchen with no grace. Truth be told, I didn't care if I had to eat it out of a dog bowl, I just wanted a meal of some sort. I really wanted some roast beef, or even ramen if that was a main dish of this world. An egg would've even been fine, but what was awaiting me? Not something nutritional, it was a tray of doughnuts.

The eagerness I had held faded into a questioning stare. "Doughnuts?"

"You got a problem with doughnuts?"

"Well… no, it's just…" I wanted something with energy or something. Like meat. Yeah that's exactly what I wanted. "Don't you have any meat?"

Aki glared at me. "Yes, but you seemed in an eager state so I didn't figure you'd be so picky."

That was pretty rude. Plus wasn't I just the one who was so concerned with manners? "You're right, sorry." I pressed my lips into a smile.

"That's more like it." He rubbed his hands together. "So go ahead. Try them!"

The enthusiasm was back. It powered my hand to snap out and grab one. My mouth watered as I bit into the sweet meal. Then, at that moment, I had tasted the most amazing thing in the history of either universes I had been in. I rushed to finish it so I could give my feedback. "Aki they're amazing!" All he did in response was push the plate more towards me. I had no objections. There were eight to begin with and in the end there was one and ¼ of one left. I sat down at one of the bar stoles at his table more satisfied than ever. "Thank you!" My head plopped onto the table.

I'm sure that if my stomach had a face with would be drooling with love. Later I'd probably pay for my stupidity with eating so much of junk food, but that was okay. For then, I was in total bliss. "Break is over." Aki sung out.

Drearily I looked at him. He was kneading a ball of dough. "Hmm?"

"Do you have a hearing problem?" Aki said not stopping with the kneading process. "I said 'break is over.' That means run back into town and get more flour."

"I just got some." I snapped in defense.

That caught his attention. His hands halted and he looked back to me. "Yes, you did." I almost felt vindicated until he continued "But then you were so kind as to drop it on your new friend."

"But-" He slammed his hand into the dough and again I was out the door. It really wasn't my fault so why couldn't he take a break, it isn't like we had any customers I couldn't deal with it. Or any at all.

Just as I was about to head in the same direction to the same market I stopped. I didn't want that woman seeing me again. If I went back I might not getting any thing free, I'd have to wait to go back. I scanned every passing sign, heading for another shopping district. The people lessened so I figured I had to be in the right direction. The street was definitely unfamiliar. No store seemed to be insight. And as much as I hate to admit it, I despise asking for directions. I was worse than any man I knew.

In attempt to find someone to ask directions from, and swallow my pride, I curved into an ally way. Which was unusual for me, I got my survival skills from the best source known to man: scary movies. Survival tip 4: Never go in dark ally ways alone. If it had been normal circumstances it would've come to me instinctively. Although, it wasn't, so I have my excuses.

The ally formed a "T" at the end, turning off to the left and right. Just as I was about to head back a little boy appeared, back down the ally at the end of my own. "Hey!" The boy stopped. Probably not because he heard my voice, because he stood stalk still and his body began to shake. The boy of eight or nine appeared to have just seen a ghost, not in a good way either.

Like one would if a wild fire was coming at them he ran up my ally towards me. His eyes were wide with fear. "Wow! Hey!" I caught him in my arms as he tried to run past me. My experience with my little brother jolted my responses. I tightened my grip on him. "Calm down! It's okay! What's wrong."

"Hurry lady! Let go!" He kept thrashing in my arms. "They're coming!" He gazed up at me pleadingly. "We've gotta get outta here!"

I gripped his arms tighter. "Who's coming? Who?" I gave him a light shake to get the information

His body relaxed as he peered around me. When my grip loosened an inch he high-tailed it out of my grasp. "H-Hey!" Was everyone in this world weird?

"Kisame-senpai!" A shrill voice whined into the air. "Where are we?"

"I told you!" Another voice rung out. Kisame. "I'm not entirely sure where the place was."

"You shouldn't drag people somewhere if you don't know where the hell it even is! Damn it!" An even more familiar voice growled.

Oh no. I clenched my fists shut as I prayed to God for it to not be the one person who would surely kill me on sight. I slowly spun to see if I was unfortunately right. Turning the corner was a masked man. Tobi? "That's fine! I'll just go ask that pretty lady!" Tobi began briskly walking towards me.

Then came Kisame and just my luck- Hidan. Kisame squinted at me. "Hey that's the girl." He pointed at me as he nudged Hidan.

Hidan had been focusing on something in his hands until Kisame nudged him. Aggravated he looked in the direction he was pointing. It took him a second for him to recognize me and only a fraction of a second for me to take the young boy's advice and get the hell out of that ally. "You bitch! Stop!" Hidan screeched after me.

_Like I'm going to listen to you!_ As I ran I tried to back track to a larger crowd my hands intuitively raced to my cell phone. "Shit!" I cursed aloud. The state police aren't going to be able to help me now. Quickly I refocused my energy on not looking back. I made no effort to block out the yells from behind me.

"Hidan! Don't chase her!" Kisame yelled with a bit of amusement to him.

"Shut up, Fishy!" Hidan's voice was closer than Kisame's. Too bad for me.

"Hidan-san! Don't call Kisame-senpai Fishy! He won't buy us treats!" Tobi yelled more frantic than any of them.

"Fuck you both!" If I hadn't been running for my life, the back-and-forth of the threesome would have been pretty humorous. Alas that wasn't the case.

I have no idea how I was able to stay ahead of any of them but I did. Oh, but did I ever. That is until I got back into the river of people. Hidan must've lost track of me, because I lost track of him. Through all of the voices clambering on all sides of me, it was easy to feel I had lost them. I shoved in between the people still not willing to die at the hands of Hidan or anyone. Obviously the folks assumed I was just being rude, and I typically would've apologized before being on my way . . . just not now.

At the end of my terror I came out on the other side of the crowd stumbling from exhaustion. Rather than wait for the pang of fatigue get to me, I bolted again. I ran up through the emptying streets. Not wanting to bring another problem to Aki I slid behind a trashcan in another ally way. It was among a cluster of trashcans. Sitting down eased the pain of pushing myself too far. I rested my head on my knees. This would happen to me.

I come to a world almost completely foreign to me and am overran with attacks of all sorts. Rude old women, psychotic criminals, mislead mothers, and cold bakers. As my breath evened out a low whisper called out to me. "Are they gone?"

I snapped my head up to find the small boy from earlier coming out from behind his own garbage can. He seemed less frantic and more concerned. "Yeah, you okay?" I got on my knees to be almost eye level with him.

He nodded slightly. "Did they get you?"

"Nope." I winked at him to lighten the serious atmosphere.

The boy plopped down to the ground. "Oh thank, God. I thought that they had gotten you and used all of their evil powers to twist your legs and melt you brain!" Not one breath. I swear, I didn't hear him breath once as he rushed in his worst case scenario.

"Nah." I sat back down. "I was too quick for em'."

His face lit up. "My name's Hikaru! What's your name?"

The energy being released from him lifted my spirits. "My name's Taylor!"

Hikaru's face contorted. "Taylor? I've never heard that name before."

I have to admit, he kind of got at my nerves a little bit. Rustling his hair I stood up again. "Well, that's because we've just met." Hikaru stood with me. He was probably afraid to be alone now. Can't say that I blamed him. Hell, I didn't even want to be alone. "So Hikaru, where am I taking you?"

He just cocked his head at me. "What do you mean?"

"Where do you live? Your mom is probably freaking out." My words seemed to hit a nerve because his eyes suddenly dropped to the ground. He mumbled something but I couldn't understand him. "Hmm?"

"I don't have a mom. I'm alone."

My throat clenched. _This poor boy. _Finally I put two and two together. _That's why he was in the ally._ I'm not sure why, but orphans always pulled at my tear ducts. Orphans and puppies. "Then where do you sleep?" I was almost too afraid to ask.

Hikaru just shrugged not once looking me in the eye. It was then that I made another imposing decision. I outstretched a hand to him. He jolted with a questioning look. He blinked from my hand to me. My hand. Me. "Well come on then." I grabbed his hand pulling him out into the street way.

"W-Where are you taking me."

"You're coming home with me." I shrugged. "I can't have you sleeping out on the streets with people who could melt your brain." I might not have been able to see it, but I could feel him smiling. His grip on my hand tightened.

I was only a block or two from Aki's bakery when I could already tell things weren't right. The few people walking past looked inside with mild interest and then scurried away with terror. Aki wasn't _that_ scary. I mean of course he- wait. Again my mind linked two and two. Akatsuki members weren't stupid. They wouldn't have such large bounties on their heads if they were. "Hikaru get behind me." I whispered as we neared the bakery.

Hikaru gripped the back of my shirt as we entered the arena of sweet smells. He had a right to, seeing as how three Akatsuki members stood talking with Aki. Hikaru whined from behind me, grabbing the attention of all four men. "Y-you bitch!" Hidan began to come at me but Kisame lunged and held him back.

"So this is Taylor-chan?" Tobi skipped over to me. I felt Hikaru flinch behind me, at least he wasn't running.

"Um… Hello?"

Tobi embraced my hands. "Every time Hidan-san starts screaming-" He leaned in to me and whispered "the B-word" Then went back to his normal stand point. "That means _you're_ around." I wasn't sure, but I think he was smiling behind that stupid mask.

"Tobi you fucking retard, shut the hell up!" Hidan screamed from Kisame's grasp.

By this time, Hikaru was shaking in his shoes. There was no way that that poor boy was going to be traumatized by the likes of these weirdoes. I slapped Tobi's hands away, pushing him out of the way to reveal a furious Hidan. "Hey!" I hollered.

Hidan stopped, noticing me staring at him. When his eyes laid on my breath hitched. I tried not to let that daunt me. "Who do you think you are?" I yanked Hikaru in front of me. "You think it's okay to scare a little boy? What's the matter with you? If you've got a problem with me, than come on! Get it over with." By the looks of it, I had successfully gotten his attention.

Kisame slowly let go of Hidan and by predictability the man started coming at me. Not like running full speed but, at a slightly nerve-racking pace. Hikaru slunk out of the way when Hidan was close enough to touch me. Except, he didn't punch me. Or cut off my limbs. Or even cuss me out. He just outstretched his clenched hand. If it wasn't for the homicidal look on his face, he may have resembled a mom giving a surprise to their child.

I timidly raised my hand below his. His hand opened and out dropped my pendant. My eyes dilated in shock. I hadn't even noticed it come off. It must've been when I first ran into him.

_I tried to rip out of his grip. "It's-" I tugged. "None of-" My hand began to slip out of his hand. "Your business!" Using one last jolt, my hand was free and a snap echoed to me ears. I fell to the ground._

"My pendant." I choked out.

"Fuckin' runnin' away all the time. Stupid bitch, didn't even realize." Hidan pushed past me.

My eyes glued to the silver Jashinist pendant that was now returned to me. "Bye Taylor-chan." Tobi muddled as he scuttled to Hidan's side.

Kisame smiled at me as he left. "We'll probably be seeing more of each other, I'd say." With a pat on the head, they were all gone again.

Hikaru bustled back over to me. "Are you okay, Taylor?"

I blinked away the shock and glanced back to him. "Yeah. I'm fine."

* * *

**Alright so, I know there is a lot of OC-ness. Sorry about that. But hey, I brought Itachi in, right? And Hidan's back! Ta-da! I promise the OC's have a point other than Taylor. They are actually kind of important. After this. I'm pretty sure Hikaru's the last one. :D So love's, thank you and review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

_Two days ago I hit my head and somehow found myself in some different reality._

_Two days ago I almost got killed by an immortal psychopath._

_Two days ago I started staying with a baker named Aki._

_One day ago I ran into a moody moron and his buddy, I also got flour all over him and then went on to anger him further._

_In the same day I happened to discover myself in the presence of psychopath 1 again._

_Then one day ago, on some whim, I took in an orphaned boy._

"This'll be the day that I die." I sang mournfully to myself with my head on a booth table.

Aki had been in the kitchen doing some baking, and Hikaru was busting tables. I buried my head further into my arms. Every single self-pitying song lyric began to buzz through my head. It isn't like I wanted to sit around and mope, but Aki temporarily banned me from leaving the shop. Can't say I blamed him. You know, not that I brought criminals to him or anything.

"Taylor-san!" Hikaru bounced over to me. Sluggishly I eyed him. He was beaming with joy. "I finished the tables, now what should I do?"

I merely gazed at the youthful boy. Poor thing must've been bored as hell. _Leaving him entertain himself, what a terrible person_, a voice nagged at me. "Why don't we go ask Aki?" I stood up and headed for the kitchen, Hikaru hot on my trail. "Aki?" He wasn't in the kitchen.

Hikaru's tiny hand tugged at my apron. "Should we look for Aki-sama?" He was about to push past me in attempts but I had my own methods.

"Aki!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. Hikaru clapped his small hands over his ears while a dreary head poked over island of a counter. Aki shot me a small glare with blood shot eyes. "Sleeping were we?" I smirked in aggravation. That man woke me up at 6 o'clock that morning just to 'help' open the shop. Then all I ended by doing was standing around and watching! After all that, he had the audacity to take a nap while Hikaru and I waited for customers. That jerk!

Aki staggered off the floor. "For all you know, I fell."

"Whatever." I glowered. Hikaru gave me a reminding nudge. Almost forgot about the boy. "Oh, Aki."

He shook his head to wake himself back up. "Hmm?"

I placed my hands on Hikaru's shoulders. "Hikaru and I need some chores. We cleaned the whole building. Or you know we could go into-"

"No."

I blinked. "What?"

"No."

I stomped my foot now. "Why not!"

Aki slumped his shoulders. "You need to ask?"

_What an annoying thing to say._ My cheeks puffed in frustration. "Well if we had customers to serve, we wouldn't be so da-" Out of the blue, the service bell rang and interrupted me. Hikaru and I looked at each other with excitement before dashing out to the front counter to meet the continuous ringing.

"Welcome to Aki's Bakery!" We cheered together.

"Oh! Good afternoon ,Taylor-chan!" The ringing stopped and my smile faded.

In front of me stood the masked Tobi, Kisame and Hidan. Again. Although I knew Hikaru was frightened he continued to shine. "Do you guys want something?" Hikaru smiled convincingly.

Kisame grinned down at us. "Yes, we would." Tobi smooshed his hands to the glass gallery. He brought his face- mask?- as close as he possibly could.

"I want that." He pointed to a triple-deck chocolate cake. "And that." His other hand shot to a crisp cup cake. "Oh! And that!" His rant continued while Hikaru stood on the opposite side of the gallery, confused.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my emotions from Hidan's glare. Why would he even come back if he despised me _that_ much? I shot back a sneer. Hidan's teeth grit in response, "Why you…"

Kisame cleared his throat. "I thought we'd come back to get some more treats." He slid in front of the fuming masochist. "Itachi-kun said he wanted to come, but he was busy."

"But I thought he said that he 'didn't want to be bothered with that damned woman?'" Tobi intervened oblivious to Kisame's excuse for his partner.

"Tobi." Kisame scolded the masked man.

"Itachi was right for once." Hidan slithered out from behind Kisame. He flicked his hand to the side. "Kisame. Why don't we go to a better bakery." He snickered to himself. "This one seems to be closing, there's no one here."

My hands twitched at my sides. Very well, he wanted to play the fucktard way- then I had my own strategies. I forced a smile. "Hidan-sama." His smile dropped instantly. "What treat would you like?" I dug into the pits of my soul for strength in favor of one last sentence. "I want to _delight_ you."

The room fell silent as I kept that overly-sweet smile on my face. Kisame chuckled to the side while Hikaru and Tobi stood in the same shocked posture. Hidan face showed nothing but a complete and utter disgusted expression. Suddenly he shrugged. "Fine." Not taking his eyes off of me he aimed his finger at the gallery. "Get me a cream filled doughnut."

Feeling as though I had won, I sashayed to the glass case and plucked a fresh one from a tray. Triumphantly I extended the delicacy to the smirking man. But he didn't take it. He just kept smirking at me like he was plotting something. "Aren't you going to take it?" I asked warily.

Hidan leaned his elbows on the counter. He shook his head. "You said you wanted to delight me, right?" I narrowed my eyes at him. What did he expect me to do? "Feed me."

"Excuse me?"

He bat his eyes at me. "Feed. Me." My eyes flashed to Kisame. He stood with his back slightly to us, examining his nails. I glared back at Hidan.

"No. You've got hands."

His smirk fell. "Do you want me to burn the place down?" His tone growled out the sincerity of his threat.

I bit my cheek as I drew in a large gust of air. "Fine." I practically spat.

Hidan's sneer returned. "That's more like it." He propped his mouth open as I slowly brought the pastry to him. It took everything in me not to smash the soft doughnut in rage. Hidan never broke his painful eye contact as he took his first bite.

My eye twitched, encouraging me to throttle him. All I did though was pull my hand and the doughnut both away from him. A smudge of white cream laid on his bottom lip. _Thank God, that's over._ I sat the powdered treat on the counter with relief. Never in my dreams did I ever think that I would ever want to attempt to kill this handsome man- _ever! _Hidan gasped superficially. I wasn't sure how far he wanted to push me, but he was getting there.

"Taylor! Look at the mess you made." Hidan faked a pout.

I flicked an imaginary lint ball off of my apron. "Good, it goes along with the rest of your face."

A streak of irritation ran over his face. "I think you should clean up your mess." He snarled.

This time I figured if I objected that he would just throw another threat at me. With a huff I yanked a napkin from it's dispenser. _Just get it over with_. I chanted to myself in my head. A second before my hand reached his face he jerked away from it. "That's not gonna clean it!"

I rolled my eyes. "What are you some germophobe, or something?" I then made another attempt to wipe away the cream but he moved away, again. "Just hold still!" I ordered as I leaned over the counter to get a better shot. Hidan caught my wrist as to stop me.

"Let go." I growled, while trying to pull away.

"I'm just saying, saliva works _so_ much better."

My whole body froze up. "Eh?" The napkin fell from my hand. I laughed nervously. "H-Hidan. C'mon, quit joking." His face showed no sign of letting up, or joking for that matter.

Hidan pulled me ever closer. "Hidan-_sama_." He purred. The edge of the counter dug into my stomach as he held his grip on me. "Delight me and do as I say." The whites of my eyes grew. What am I a whore?

My wrist wriggled to get free. "H-Hidan-"

"_Sama_." He hissed.

I squeezed my eyes shut. "Hidan-sama," I squeaked. "C'mon, just let me go!" This was not how I imagined my plan working out. He just had to outwit me, and now he was making me his personal whore.

"Did you think I was fucking joking? I'll burn this damn shithole to the fucking ground." My eyes snapped open. He was being dead serious. Stupid enough, I just stared at him knowing he had me in a corner. _Damn it_. Once more I squeezed my eyes shut. While my entire person shook, I leaned closer to his face.

"H-Hey!" Hikaru's voice shook out. "L-Let Taylor-san go!" With my eyes still shut I heard him began to pace over to me.

"Back off, you fucking twerp!" Hidan growled. Causing Hikaru to stop dead in his tracks.

I gulped down all of my hesitations and stuck my tongue out. Swiftly I jolted to my aimed spot. The first thing that ran through my head was, 'Funny, I didn't think lips were so rough.' Curiosity killed the cat, I slowly opened my eyes to discover myself licking a hand and my wrist free. A rush of heat raced to my face as I leaned back across the table. Of course, Hidan didn't have a sudden rush of moral. No, in fact, he was on floor rubbing his face.

In the jail that was my lungs, I held my breath as I found my savior. Itachi Uchiha stood with his hand still in the air. All color drained from my face. "I-Itachi-san." I wheezed. Itachi flipped his hand over and inspected it. No emotion showed on his face as he wiped his palm over his cloak. "I'm sorry." The blush that had painted my cheeks decided to give me another layering as I bowed and smacked my head on the counter. Tobi giggled only to be smacked by Kisame. I covered my face in embarrassment.

"No, it seems it was we who cause a dilemma this time." Itachi said coolly. He may have said that, but I felt like he was trying to actually say, 'ZOMFG! DIEALREADYYOUSTUPIDBITCH!'

Normal people would've done one of the following:

**A**) Ran to a safe place and hid.

**B**) Got on there knees to thank their Maker.

Or **C**) With no sign of stopping thanked the Uchiha for saving them from a potentially worse fate while kissing his feet.

I, on the other hand took **D**) None of the above. In fact, I was slightly irritated. Not to sure why, but it might have been the arrogant vibes he gave off. Or maybe it was the way that he ignored me with no effort what so ever. What ever it was it made me more pissed than a bull seeing red. He should've learned his lesson of acting this way with me.

The silent Itachi took a step towards Kisame, that is until I threw the rest of Hidan's doughnut into the back of his head. Itachi stopped dead in his tracks. Almost like he didn't believe anything of the sort had just happened, he lightly touched the powder spot on the back of his head. A dab of cream smeared onto his fingers. Itachi emitted cynical chuckle from him as he spun back to face me.

"Did you just throw that doughnut at my head?" He growled finally letting some emotion let loose.

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean."

As if to hold back the little emotions he had left, Itachi cracked his neck. "Well, well, well. Did we just decide to come out of our shell, then?" The sarcasm in his voice made my blood boil with rage.

"You're one to talk." I spat. Placing my hands on my hips I crossed my eyes in ridicule "I don't want to be bothered with that damned woman."

His head twitched backwards like a confused bird. Confused or angry I'm not sure, up to that point all of his facial expressions were the same. Itachi gripped and released his fists repeatedly. "I suppose my first instinct was correct then, hmm?"

"You know" I tapped my fingers on the counter. "People like you are better off just keeping your mouths shut."

Did it faze him? Apparently not the way I wanted. "I'm glad we're on the same page." The monotone had returned. His porcelain features struggled to conceal all and any emotions.

For a few more seconds I took the time to just stare at him in disbelief. "You are unbelievable." I muttered.

He rolled his eyes. "Me? You're the one acting like a toddler. Especially when I saved you. Show some gratitude."

I threw my hands into the air "Oh I get it. So you think you're Tarzan swooping in to save me from the big bad moron!" I threw a finger at Hidan. "And so you think you have the right to treat me like crap. Well news flash!" I slammed my hands on the counter. "I didn't ask for your help!" Everyone in the room proceeded to stare at me.

"What?" Kisame scratched his chin in befuddlement. That's right. None of them knew about Tarzan, or George of the Jungle, or anything like that. So my analogy had failed to penetrate the Uchiha's idiocy.

As Itachi was about to hurl another insult, Hidan began cackling. He was bent over, holding his stomach in a fit of laughter. "Holy shit." He gasped. "I fucking love this bitch!"

I wasn't paying too much attention to the immortal-nin though. I was more concerned with the raven eyeballing me with his sharingan. 'Cause a little baker's assistant is so dangerous that she needs the threat of sharingan. Itachi then clenched his fists. Without sparing me another look before he headed to brood at the entrance of the shop. Like the sidekick he was Kisame drug his ass to Itachi's gloomy ego-trip. Tobi on the other hand stood twiddling his thumbs.

I gave him a gentle grin, "Sorry Tobi-kun."

The Akatsuki apprentice appeared to brighten. "It's okay Taylor-chan, Tobi knows you're a good girl." How that man… boy?…. ever made himself sound so adorable, I'll never know. What I do know is that if Itachi brought that fellow with him every time he came to the shop, I'd put up with Itachi any day.

A light thump broke me from my trance. Hidan was leaning against the counter again. We had gotten past any personal boundaries issues earlier, so I didn't expect him to do any less. His smile seemed genuine which I have to say made my knees quite weak. "So, do I get a discount?"

"You sure have the gift of one-liners, don't you?" I pushed him off of the counter to secure my knees once more.

"Maybe you should find sayings that people actually fucking use." He mumbled. Giving off the mood of rejection- what a turn on.

"Will you just pay me already!"

"Fine!" He grumbled. He muttered something else too, I'm pretty sure it was something along the lines of 'dumb bitch.' Though I'm sure Hidan would never say that! "Tobi, fucking pick something quick. Or else you'll complain the whole damn way home."

Tobi took less than a second to scream to Hikaru his order. Hidan pulled money from the inside of his cloak and laid it on the table. I picked it up, inevitably seeing he had given me too much. Way too much. He and Tobi were already on their way out while I rushed to get his change. "Wait!"

Unmindfully Tobi kept leaving but Hidan snuck a quick look at me. "Your change!" I pulled bills roughly from the register trying to reach him in time.

"It's a tip." Hidan waved me off. My hands slowed to a stop. Really, that man was either bipolar, completely insane, or just very complicated. Whichever one it was, they were all annoying to no end.

The foursome left in no time at all. Leaving myself in disarray and our shop empty once more. "The one with the mask is funny." Hikaru giggled. "I don't think they're all evil." I let out a sigh. If an eight year-old could figure that much out, there was no way to deny it. "I can't wait for them to come back." I watched him scurry to the entrance and poke his head out. The day before he had been more than willing to run away from them as fast as he could. Now he was shaking with anticipation for if they ever came back. And it wasn't improbable that they would.

The Akatsuki were more trouble than they were worth, to me. And for some reason they had taken an interest in a plain girl. A plain girl that didn't necessarily want they attention.

"We won't be shaking them anytime soon, now will we?" Aki sighed from the kitchen doorway.

"Sorry." I muttered still half-dazed.

Aki circled the counter to pick up the now squashed doughnut. He examined it, turning it over in his hands. "You really should watch yourself around them."

I, not really caring either way, shrugged my shoulders. The way I saw it, even if I was killed I would just return to my own universe. So it didn't really matter even if they did become violent. I headed to my booth, as to mull over a couple of issues. A couple of issues being, how long was I going to be apart of this world. "Aki." I turned back to the baker. He was counting money when he looked up.

I was going to ask him if I could take a break and leave the shop for some air, but decided against it. Because the only thing I was going to do was turn my cell phone on and try to call home. Even if I did get through, it wouldn't solve anything. I would still be in one reality, and they would still be the other. "Nothing, I forgot." Aki didn't notice my discomfort because he just put away his money and returned to his kitchen. _It's like he's a caveman._

I tried to relax into the booth seat. The wood was as comforting as my bed might be, but it couldn't have been any different. Every night I had slept in this world I woke up groggy and irritated. A tell-tale sign of me not getting restoration from my sleep. That or waking up at six in the morning wasn't doing me any justice.

Neither were the sporadic visits the Akatsuki had been giving me. They blew in, blew up, and blew out. Every single time giving me a different ending that the last. They were also making me a little more tired then the last time. I stuck my hands in my face. "I need a powernap."

"I figured you'd break at some point." Aki was in the seat across from me. "Go on." He slumped back into the seat. "I'm sure Hikaru and I can handle the customers." Aki skimmed the other empty booths and looked back with a shrug.

"Thanks." I whispered on my way out of the booth. Each step that I took seemed to aggravate me further. I started to notice the second level of Aki's building was intolerably hot and bright. When I got in my room I flipped the lock and threw the rug that lay on the floor over the window. As I crawled into bed untied my apron, taking it and my shirt off. I had a habit of taking my shirt off in my sleep if I was too hot, every time waking up wondering how my shirt disappeared. Taking it off before I went to bed was just easier. I breathed in the intoxicating scent of detergent. The smell wasn't my favorite, but it did have a relaxing effect on me.

"Mmm." I tried to reach out for something to pull into my arms. That might be the only thing I'd like about having someone to sleep with. I had somewhat of a problem with physical contact, but I absolutely hate going to sleep without something to wrap my arms around. There was no extra pillow or even a left over plush toy. I settled with bundling up my covers and curling around them.

_I wonder if any of them are like this_… My mind gallivanted around the new images of the Akatsuki. The handsome posse were no doubt a force to reckon with, but I wondered how they slept. If Tobi had to crawl into bed with someone, or if Itachi laid in bed at night thinking about his life. Maybe Hidan's room didn't resemble something from Saw or Texas Chainsaw Massacre, instead he had a nightlight he couldn't live without. I hummed out a laugh at the thought of Kisame's potential aquarium fetish.

A smile lit my features as I dozed into a much needed nap.

**Hidan's P.O.V**

The whole way back to the hideout, Kisame was up Itachi's ass. It was his own damn fault, he didn't have to shove me on the floor and stop Taylor. Stupid pretty boy. Then when the girl flips on him, he acts like she needs to worship the ground he walks on. I snarled at the thought of all the women that would dismiss his bad attitude just 'cause he's soft on the eyes.

"Itachi, c'mon, she doesn't know what she's doing. Give her some credit, she's pretty nice ain't she?" Kisame tried to lean into Itachi's glare.

Eyelash-boy snarled. "I can't tell if you're trying to comfort me, or compliment the baker girl." There he went trying to bring everyone down with him. Even as sadistic as I was, at least I'm not acting like a fucking moody teenager.

"She has a name." I scoffed unexpectedly. Fishy whirled around. Obviously all he was worried about was Itachi's ego. Tough shit. I wasn't about to let that man stop me from getting a free fuck. If I just played nice long enough, I might be able to-

"I'm sorry, Hidan, did you say something?" Itachi stopped and looked at me from under his girly eyelids. I put my hands behind my head with a shrug.

After the few seconds of silence I pretty much figured that our little spat was over. Until I heard Kisame shuffling around. "Itachi." His voice drug out each vowel with warnings. Eyelash-boy was still standing, watching me, so I just strolled on by him. Like I could give a flying fuck if he was upset.

"So you practically rape her, and _I'm_ the bad guy?"

I turned so that I was walking backwards. "Oh does the little Uchiha care about what a 'baker girl' has to say?" Almost like he was on a mission he began walking again. With Uchiha, I never know what emotion he is trying to omit, or conceal, and I always expect him to just act like the passive man he tries to be and ignore any threat. But this time, oh this time, I read him like a book. He was flustered and aggravated. He wanted to deck me with every morsel of fiber with in him.

"Go ahead, Eyelash-boy." I patted my cheek. "Punch me. I'll like it." Not surprisingly, Itachi didn't touch me. He simply eyed me, and took the lead again. The man had a nasty habit of using eye contact as a way to get his point across. "Pussy." I snorted.

The rest of our little stroll home was spent in a barely tolerable atmosphere. Tobi had long since finished his little cupcake and now decided to fuck our ears with annoying babble. Kisame would really make a great dad, because on one note I was about the ring the little bastard's neck and on the other hand Kisame nodded intently to his stories. I couldn't count on my fingers how many different ways I wanted to mutilate the life from Tobi. He was always like that. 'Cause that's just how Tobi is.

Except he seems pretty calm with that baker girl…Taylor. Really, that kid must get a boner over her or something. I mean, there isn't anything special about her. Other than her considerably nice rack. Though Tobi probably wouldn't know what to do with a girl like that, I mean I could barely stand her, let alone handle her. That's why Jashin-sama gave the world prostitutes. That way I didn't have to put up with that snappy blonde's. Her attitude was just…how can I say it without sounding to faggish?

Her attitude was astonishing. You know, taking into consideration she knew who we were. Being Akatsuki and all. A lot of people aren't afraid of dying, but it was like she didn't give a two shits about us. I've never seen a person, especially a girl, stand up to us like she had. I wondered how hard it would be to get her to submit to me. All I had to do was make a couple of not-so-empty threats and she'd practically do anything I wanted. _I bet I could even get her to-_

"Hidan-san!" Tobi screamed, snapping me from my train of thought. "C'mon the elevator is closing!" It was true. Ahead of me the unstable elevator that went underground was beginning to shut. Kisame held it open as I squirmed between the shutting doors.

The flickering light strained to illuminate us with what little light it did. I stole a glance at Itachi. He stood just as stoic as before. Frankly, it didn't surprise me he wasn't wrapped up in thoughts of that girl like I was. I'm sure he hadn't thought anything sexual since he got '_the talk_.' Or ever for that matter. For all I knew, he was probably a mother-fucking virgin. Well not mother-fucking…

The rickety doors opened into our luxuriously, horrible hideout that we called a home. No one was in the dining room area, nor the kitchen. The lazy fucks were probably strewn all over the place sleeping. "I wonder if Zetsu made lunch yet." Kisame pondered aloud to break the heavy silence.

"He probably just put human fingers in it anyways." I grumbled.

Tobi spun around. "Zetsu-san p-puts f-fingers in… our food?"

Kisame shook his hands. "No, Tobi he-"

"What do you think those chicken fingers were?" This was just too easy. "Tasted a little odd, right?" Tobi began to shake, his green scarf shuddering with him. It wouldn't hurt him to not know they had three months of freezer burn on them. The shivering apprentice took off down a hall way practically wailing for his senpai. What a wonderful way to be woken up.

Kisame began to complain about Tobi coming to his room with nightmares, but that was boring. His complaints were boring. He was boring. The whole damn place was boring. In this case, I head for the room I shared with Kakuzu. Kakuzu might be a greedy bastard, but at least I found him semi-interesting.

Just as I had suspected, the man sat at his desk in the far corner of our room counting his money. He hadn't even looked to see if it was me that walked in the room before he called, "How much did you spend?"

I shrugged off my coat onto the floor. "It was my money." I dropped to my bed.

Kakuzu's active shoulders stopped. This time he turned in his seat. "Hidan, how much did you spend?"

I rolled my eyes. "All of it."

"What did you buy?"

Buy? More along the lines of tipping for 'future references'. "None of your damn business."

Kakuzu went back to doing his counting. "Stop getting whores."

I jolted up in place. "I didn't get a fucking whore, you cheap-ass pervert!"

After a series of clinking change and paper fidgeting against paper, he stood. Kakuzu twisted his neck into a sickening position and cracked his fingers. Jashin-sama knows how long that man had been sitting there. His robe hung neatly from hook on the wall. Rarely did he ever expose his stitched up quilt of skin. The first time I saw it I nearly gagged, but the sight was fairly normal to me now.

"Maybe you should get a girl that you don't have to pay."

His words caught my attention. I rolled onto my side. "Whad'ya mean?" My words crammed together. Kakuzu and I never really discussed personal matters too much. When we did, it always became awkward in some form, so you can understand my anxiety.

Kakuzu sat on the bedside opposite of me. "I don't mean rape either." He certainly had a way of explaining things. I frowned at my partner, I wasn't picking up what he was throwing down. Kakuzu reached back to unclipp his mask and head dress. "To dumb it down even further." He sighed, he didn't like talking on a personal level either. "There are girls who have sex with men and don't charge them."

I continued to stare at him for awhile before laughing nervously. "Yeah, well that's because they're in love." I expected, or more over _wanted,_ Kakuzu to snap back with a "That's not what I mean." or perhaps. "You really are stupid." No, he didn't give me anything but a twitch of the mouth.

I propped myself on my elbow. "Kakuzu, pal, I'm in the Akatsuki, I can't do that, I could be- I could be-"

"Killed?" My mouth opened slightly. Kakuzu rested his elbows on his knees. "Fat chance. You're just looking for excuses."

_Not true! _"We'll be-"

"Leader-sama won't be moving from this hide-out anytime soon. We've invested too much money in it, and plus it may be one of the only spots our enemies aren't aware of." Damnit, I always hated when he would cut me off. Even though he was always right when it came to finishing my sentences, it still annoyed the shit out of me.

Kakuzu shrugged his shoulders. "Just giving a word of advice." With that said, he swayed back into his back. How on earth was he going to sleep? It was barely noon at the time!

And who the hell was he to tell me that kind of shit? He was basically telling me to go find a girlfriend. I was a fucking Akatsuki member! What kind of murderous killer falls in love? I bet Uchiha didn't even think about it- ever! There was no way that I was going to be looked down upon by _that_ fuck-face. Except the longer I lay on my bed the more I thought about that girl.

I would use my religion as a shield, but it wasn't sinful to have romantic encounters. Just as long as they didn't distract us from our religious obligations that is. That girl did have a pendant on her. _Her name is Taylor!_ I growled inwardly. I kept calling her 'that girl' and it made me feel like Uchiha. She has a name damnit!

Unable to stay put any longer I pushed myself from my bed. I trudged through my messy half of the room and past Kakuzu's sleeping person. For the next several hours I tried to keep myself busy. I sharpened and cleaned my scythe, various times. I prayed to my Lord practically every other minute. I even ate the every last junk food item we had saved away. When I finally reduced myself to scrubbing the kitchen floor on my hands and knees, I made a deduction.

I had to see Taylor.

**So hey ya'll. I finally posted my third chapter! Double woot! I'm pretty happy, I have a mini collection of reviews. Thank you to anyone who is reading my lovely little piece. :D! I'm not too sure how I feel about this chapter…just cause…I'm not sure. On the bright side, an albino kitten fell from my tree! See everyone next time! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

I have nightmares. Not to the extreme of like carnivorous monkeys chasing me down a into a tsunami full of sharks that haven't been fed in three weeks. None the less, they still shake me up. It is always the same plot, my dad or someone dies and I wonder around the rest of my dream freaking out. Each time I seem to forget his cause of death when I wake up. I never really try and find out, it might just make me paranoid. My dreams never went on me, what with making me the victim, so I never really told anyone about them. Who would really care anyways? They'd just go away in time any ways, right?

Maybe I should have told someone…

"_Lex!" I shook my sister's body. She'd been lying there too long and her mouth was streaming blood. "Lex, c'mon! Don't die, please!" Profuse stab wounds decorated her torso. Her eyes wavered to me before going completely dull. "Damnit!" I wailed. She was the half-alive person I'd found. Both dad and his girlfriend were dead too, suffering from the same diagnosis. Murder._

_I had heard a lot of commotion from my room. If only to complain, I decided to head downstairs and check it out. On the way down the steps my feet became uncomfortable, although not enough for me to look down. All the lights were off except for a single night light in the kitchen. A shadow flashed across the floor. "Dad?" I called. What was he doing up?_

_Interested to see who was up at such an hour, I began to rush down the steps. As I neared the bottom of the steps, I slipped. My feet stumbled down the remaining steps, causing my back to crash into them as well. I lay there for a second trying to regain my senses. What had I slipped in? I pushed myself out of the painful position and rubbed my eyes. "Ugh." I blinked down at my hands._

_My hands were red. Why were they red? I rubbed my index finger and thumb together. They were wet too. Still not connecting the dots I looked behind me. A whole trail of wet liquid trailed up the staircase. "B-blood?"_

_My breath hitched and I took off for the kitchen. Knowing how defenseless I must have seemed I rushed to a drawer that held knives. It always helped in horror movies. Gripping it with both hands I rounded the kitchen table into the dining room. I was focusing on what was ahead of me, not below me, so I was shocked when something stopped my movement. I dropped the knife when I gazed upon my father's body. "Dad!" I screamed. His body was still warm to the touch but he was lying in an unimaginable amount of blood and his eyes were wide open._

_I ducked down under the dining room table. I slowly looked around the room. And of course lying on the opposite side of the table was Marie, dad's girlfriend. She was on her side with her back to me. I didn't bother checking her as I crawled out of the darkened room. My body quivered as I zipped across the foyer and into what I thought was a safer place._

_By the looks of things, I had been the one attacked. I was covered in blood and I was shaking like there was no tomorrow. The living room was darker than all of the others, that's why I figured I'd be safe. "Tay…lor?" I raspy voice called._

_A frightened small crept upon. "Alexis! Oh, thank God!" She must've come in late and fell asleep on the couch. My hand dashed to the lamp on the end table. As the light clicked on my words progressively stopped. She was on the couch, alright. "Dad and Kim… are…"_

_She was bloody and shuddering. Her eyelids fluttered as she looked at me. "Stay…quiet." Alexis licked her chapped lips. I probably should've shut the light back off, but if the killer was still around, he probably would killed me by now._

_I huddled next to my sister, in both to comfort her and to comfort myself. Her convulsions began to lessen, and at first I thought it was for the better, until I realized her grip on my hand wasn't there any more. "Lex!" I shook my sister's body. She'd been lying there too long and her mouth was streaming blood. "Lex, c'mon! Don't die, please!" Profuse stab wounds decorated her torso. Her eyes wavered to me before going completely dull. "Damnit!" I wailed. She was the last person I'd found half-alive. Both dad and his girlfriend were dead too, suffering from the same diagnosis. Murder._

_I held on to Alexis's hand as a voice echoed, "Taylor?" My head jolted up. Duncan, my older brother._

_With my head lowered I scurried to the edge of the living room. "What the hell?" He must be seeing the blood. "What the fuck is going on?"_

"_Duncan." My voice broke as I called to him. Duncan's sturdy body came rushing down the steps. He completely ignored the blood as he searched for me. "Duncan, I'm right here." I cautiously moved out from behind my safe place._

_Duncan whirled around. A slight sense of relief came upon him. "Taylor. What is-" He stopped mid-sentence._

"_D-Duncan?" I whispered as he dropped to the floor. A knife prominently jutted from his left shoulder blade. Behind where he once stood was a pair of eyes. Red eyes. Not with a demonic glow, but a familiar one. I took a step backwards as a knife flew into my stomach._

_My teeth began to clatter as I slid to the floor. I tried to pull the knife from my abdomen, but it was secure in not leaving. I looked down to the wound. It wasn't a knife. It was a kunai. _I don't understand.

_I rose my head back up to see over my brother's body. The red eyes still glowered onto me. "Stupid woman." The killer stepped into the light. He sent another weapon at me._

"Oh, my God!" I sprung up in bed. My skin was covered in a cold sweat. Taking a deep breath I tried to regulate my breathing and my heart rate. That one was a doozy. I entwined my fingers, to try and take my mind off of that god awful vision.

The more I let myself stay awake, the longer I'd remember my brain's little art form. I slowly lowered myself back into bed. I had exposed my basically my whole body when I had waken up. As I lay in place, my hand searched for my blankets.

"So you don't sleep with a shirt on either, huh?"

I twisted in bed, not positive of what I had heard. Through the dark I could see someone sitting in the corner. When it finally dawned on me that there was a man in my room, I yanked my covers up to my neck. "What the hell are you doing?" I hissed, hoping not to wake the whole house.

The person stood, a small beam of moonlight catching his face. Hidan. The little moonlight that managed to get in through my blocked window vanished as he walked out of it. "My roommate snores." Kakuzu did seem like the snoring type.

"So you break into a girl's room?" I gripped my comforter tighter. "That's what perverts do! If you don't leave in ten seconds, I'm going to-"

"Cry?" His figure stood beside my bed.

I curled my lip. "What are you talking about?"

"You were crying." He repeated.

What bullshit was he spewing? To test his statement, I touched my cheek with one hand. Just as he said, they were soaked. At least I still had the cover of night. "That's none of your concern." I whispered in a hiss.

I couldn't see his face. Only his faint outline in the dark. "You don't have to be a fuckin' bitch." I'm guessing he didn't have a pleasant expression.

I plummeted onto my side. "Whatever." I wanted him to go away. Actually I wanted to be alone. After my nightmares I am ever so irritable and it wasn't fun to lash out on people. I had finally relaxed when the bed bounced me into the air. I snapped my attention to the end of my bed. Hidan sat with his back against the wall, knees propping his arms.

"Will you just leave?"

"Nope."

I curled my knees into my chest. If I couldn't get him to leave, I'd just stay away from him as much as possible. His breathing filled the air. Soon he began humming a tune. Rather than a wicked tune you'd expect from such a man, it was more like a lullaby. A beautiful one at that. The kind of lullaby that you can't help but relax to. I was on the brink of being lulled back to sleep when Hidan spoke out.

"Hey, don't be falling asleep on me!"

"Mmm-naa." What I meant to say was 'shut-up' but I had lost my voice along with my coherent thoughts.

"Hey!" He slapped my leg. "I said don't fall asleep!" He didn't exactly give me a love tap either. Bastard probably left a welt. "If you are going to fall asleep, sit up!" Reluctantly I wrapped my blankets around myself and sat up. "'at's more like it." He sang out.

"Do you even sleep?" I asked. I didn't ask it out of concern or worry, it was more like 'don't you have anything better to do?'

"Yep." He popped the 'p'. Hidan rested his head to the side. "So. That dream?"

I pulled the blankets around tighter. "Oh my gosh, why do you even care?" Did it really concern him? No. In fact he was revealing pedophile like symptoms that made me very uneasy.

"I couldn't fucking care less." Hidan scoffed. Sure. "You're the one who probably has this nightmare all the time. I just figured I'd let you get it off your chest." The grip I had on the blanket went slack. I was too tired to fight him. Instead I decided too just do what I always do, ignore it and hope it goes away.

Hidan's stare had this way of making me feel like if I looked at him, I'd melt like the wicked witch of the west. The image it created in my head was that of my body dissolving into a puddle as Hidan stood over me, laughing diabolically. I shifted in my seat as I wished for Hidan to just stop without my say so. "Would you knock it off…" I muttered.

"Just tell me."

"It isn't even that interesting!" I protested. Honestly I hate sharing dreams. Mainly because mine never make any sense, or they are just too embarrassing. Either way I did not want to fess up.

"I'm not leaving until you tell me, bitch." Was that necessary?

For some reason, that was the last straw. I whirled my body around to face him. "Fine I'll freaking tell you!" I drew in a large breath as I began to explain to him my nightmare and how I'd had something of the sort more than once before.

"And, Duncan, he ran downstairs and he was fine, but he got stabbed in the back. Then the killer was there and I never made him out but he had red eyes and he threw a-" I stopped my rambling to quickly exchange 'kunai' for 'knife.' "Knife at me. Right before he got me again I woke up."

From what I could tell, Hidan was just staring at me. My face began to heat up. Telling a stranger was embarrassing enough, now that stranger probably thought I was an idiot for being so affected. He was a ninja for Christ's sake, my nightmare was his reality. "You're shaking."

"What?" I looked to his outline. I knew I was shaking, but I couldn't let him know that.

"Does it fucking bother you that badly?"

I cleared my throat. "No." My attempt at keeping my voice firm- fail.

The comforter under him rustled as he moved. He sat in front of me after much moving. I could barely make out his eyes, let alone stop shaking. "It was just a fucking dream."

Just as I suspected. Hidan couldn't understand, he had doubtlessly done that to families on numerous occasion. "Never mind." I hissed, trying to regain my confidence.

He ran a hand through his hair. "I'm not saying that. What I'm saying is that you're okay. Your family is fine. It was just a dream." Even before he was done with his sentence he was sliding off of the bed. He didn't have his cloak to lug him down. Or his scythe. In fact to the naked eye, he was completely vulnerable. But he was a ninja. A ninja who just consoled a troublesome girl.

"Where are you going?" I tried to hide my panic. I didn't exactly want to be left alone. Even if Hidan was the one separating me from lonesomeness.

He was steadily making his way to my window. I crawled to the edge of my bed in desperation. "You told me your dream, I'll fucking leave you alone now." He swiped the hanging rug out of the way.

I bit my lip. "No wait!"

His foot was half way out of the window. The moonlight hit him in all the right ways, making me silently want him to stay for all the wrong reasons. I tucked my hair behind my ears. "Could you maybe stay. Until I fall asleep?"

Hidan moaned loudly. "Well aren't you just troublesome." His voice told a whole different story. It said that he was more than glad to be at my assistance. He pulled his leg back into my room and back to me. Hidan froze. I could see his wide eyed expression as the moonlight disappeared again.

I slowly looked down to see what he was staring at. Unfortunately I understood his shocked appearance. I had dropped my covers and exposed my practically bare chest. "Oh!" I scurried under my blankets once more.

Hidan erupted in laughter. My heart pounded in humiliation. Why couldn't I come off as poised, and not awkward for just this once? No one other than the girls in gym class had ever seen my chest, and this man had succeeded in seeing it twice. A hand patted my head through the covers.

"It's okay, I didn't see anything." He chuckled softly. Liar. He pulled the covers from over my head. I revealed a light glare.

I rolled away from him. "You can leave once I'm asleep." I whispered. Regaining a balled up position, I sunk back into my pillow. Hidan got back onto the bed. Sitting once more on one end. I couldn't really understand why that man was going along with my order. He was the stronger one, I really couldn't have stopped him. My dad had always told me that it was good for me to fall asleep on my own, so I didn't expect him to oblige me.

All I could think about was the fact that there was a man on my bed. To be honest, I couldn't get it off of my mind. I was so preoccupied, that I was unable to fall asleep. I began to tell myself stories, count sheep, count backwards, and just not think at all. Nothing was helping. I rolled over a couple of times, but my discomfort only grew.

"Stop fucking twitching!" Hidan groaned. To his dismay I rolled over for a fifth time. I didn't really think I was going to ever get back asleep with him still in the room. But then Hidan began to hum again.

It wasn't exactly a good feeling. That is knowing that I was soothed by a criminal. But I wasn't complaining. It was something, I'd always wanted someone to do it for me. So no matter the person, I was happy.

**Hidan's P.O.V**

I snuck out of the hideout when it was almost midnight. Kakuzu was sound asleep since our 'talk.' No one else was up, except for Deidara who was rummaging through the cupboards. He was so intent on finding our missing junk food he didn't notice me leave.

The forest that surrounded the path to town was dark and silent. Lowly bandits roamed the woods, but they had more than once been given a good lesson on messing with people on this path at night. Because the only people who would think of doing so were the members of Akatsuki. I, myself, had had a run in or two with the idiots.

Of course, I didn't worry about that, even without my Akatsuki cloak, no one would dare touch me. I'm just that fucking great.

Before that night, I'd never seen the town at night. It really was different. There weren't people crowding the streets or annoying shop owners yelling from their stores. Though, without all of the chaos, it just seemed weird. The bakery was naturally closed and I knew better than to try the front door.

I snuck to the back of the building and proceeded to scale its back. From experience in this type of thing, I was more than quiet. There were only two windows from the second floor. The one appeared to be a bathroom, while the other was covered up. The thing used to cover the window was a rug. Only an idiot would put use a rug as a make-shift curtain. I knew that instant it was Taylor's room.

The window was unlocked so it was fairly simple to climb inside. Once I had gotten in, the room faded back to darkness. A light breathing sounded from a lump on the bed. It was her. I paced over to the bedside. Even through the dark I could make out her body. The comforter made her curves even more accentuated. Her blonde hair fell over her face.

It covered her high cheek bones to the extent of aggravating me. Slowly I brushed it back. My knuckle glided across her skin in attempts to soak in as much of her as possible. She began moving, but I didn't pull away. Taylor moved into my touch.

_**What are you doing?**_I screamed at myself. I jumped back. What was I doing? _**This isn't why you came here**__! _The voice scolded again. My eyes landed on her. She was on her back now, head to the side with her hands almost as if she'd posed them. I had to admit, she did seem more appetizing than the prostitutes I'd picked up before.

_**Do it**__._

A smirk glittered upon me. I bit my lip as I paced back to her. One thing that did succeed in distracting me was the fact that she was completely covered in blankets, yet I didn't even have a shirt on and I was sweating balls. _There is no way you aren't hot!_ I started to peel back her covers until I found her only wearing a bra. As if I was holding red hot metal, I dropped those covers.

I slid backwards until my back was to her door. Maybe it was just her stuffy room, but my face felt like it was going to evaporate from my bones. "What woman sleeps without a shirt on?" I hissed quietly. Taking a deep breath I shook my head. It wasn't as if I wasn't experienced with that general area of a female.

But this girl, she barely seemed tainted enough in that way to do the sorts of things I have with women. She nearly passed out with I tried to get her to lick me. _**All the better to defile.**_ Trying to not focus on the ever returning 'bad' thoughts, I kneeled by her side. Her eyes darted around under her eyelids. She was dreaming. How could anyone hurt this? Hell, she had more spunk than a lot of people I had met. There was still something about her that was pure, or rather- different.

In all my life I had never experienced such damn annoying thoughts. And now? With this one person, I just had to hesitate with jumping her? Had I done something to angered Jashin-sama in some way? I hadn't sacrificed her on sighting, maybe that was the reason for my damn suffering.

"Da-" Taylor mumbled something. Damn? Dang? Dagger?

I watched her from the corner of my eye. She started to quiver. Her hand darted out on the bed. She put on an amusing show of trying to grasp something. Without thought I slid my hand under hers. Like instinct she took a tight hold. She thrashed her head from side to side. "N-no."

Her shivers echoed into our grasp. It didn't take too long for me to realize that she was having a nightmare. The cold sweat was a big hint though. Then the tears came. Even through her squeezed shut eyes, tears streamed over her face. I didn't wipe them away, waking her up was something I didn't need happening with me so close.

I couldn't recall the last time I had a nightmare. Of course, nightmares portrayed fears, guilt, or regret. All of which I didn't experience. I still felt bad for her. "Stupid woman." I growled. How dare she force these damn feeling upon me!

Suddenly her grasp went slack. Back on my toes, I glared down at her. What was she up to? Taylor was still shaking, but only remnants of tears were left. Feeling as though she was about to wake up I snuck into the darkest corner. I plopped down, content on observing from a distance. More utterances made their way to me.

This time I held back the urge to run to her side. No way, I was going to bow to her damn subconscious desires. When her frantic sounds finally stopped, she jolted up in bed. "Oh my, God!" Her breathing was spacious and irregular, heaving her chest in thrusts.

When Taylor had sat up so abruptly, all the coverings she had fell of. Exposing her hidden beauties. Her larges breaths only made them more prominent. After maybe a minute she slowly laid back down. In her shocked awakening she hadn't bothered to notice. _Fucking whore-faced infidel._ She looked as if she was going to go back to sleep. Well that's not good.

"So you don't sleep with a shirt on either, huh?" As my words reached her, she froze all movement. I guess she finally concluded that I was in her room too because she seized her blankets and yanked them up. "What the hell are you doing here?" Taylor announced.

I stood up, it'd be rude to leave her in doubt. "My roommate snores." I lied. Out of all the people I'd ever known, Kakuzu was the one person who never once made the slightest flinch while asleep.

"So you break into a girl's room?" She retorted out. The girl had a point. Of course, I hadn't initially come to just sit around. I'd broken into her room for much more…pleasurable reasons. "That's what perverts do!" _Oh how right you are._ "If you don't leave in ten seconds, I'm going to-" I already knew where she was going. The cliché, if-you-don't-leave-I'm-going-to-scream. I'd heard it so many times before. At this time in her rant I had already made my way back to my place at her side.

"Cry?"

Taylor flinched. Not a, don't-hit-me-punch, more of the kind you see when you insult a person. "What are you talking about?"

She was too easy. "You were crying." I asked, trying my best to sound bored.

Like she wasn't sure that I was telling the truth she patted her face. "That's none of your concern." I swear she was practically ejecting acid from her mouth. I suppose it was too try and intimidate me. Seriously?

My face contorted into a nasty frown. "You don't have to be a fuckin' bitch." It would've been so easy to just jump her and do one of two things. Kill her or the latter, 'have my way with her.'

"Whatever." She fell back onto the bed. Her back was to me, because all I could see was yellow hair. I'd seen that shade of hair once before. On a girl that came to me crying on a street. Her mother was dead in an ally. I'd known that before she'd told me. And as she lead me to her mother in hopes that I as a ninja could help, I sliced her pretty little throat. The last time I saw that shade of hair, it was stained with blood. I looked back to Taylor.

She was trying her hardest to ignore me. Well I was going to sit around and grant her fucking wish. I crawled onto the end of the bed abruptly. Taylor had a short flight into the air. Before she looked at me I focused on the wall opposite of me. There was no way I'd let her see me admiring her awkwardness.

"Will you just leave?" She snapped.

I held back a smirk. "Nope."

Taylor made an upset noise and curled into a ball. Not a lot of people go to sleep like that so I'm assuming she was trying to get away from me. Kakuzu and I usually always traveled in silence. I hate it. I like talking, even if it is about religion I like it none the less. The silence that fell over the air of Taylor's room was the exact reason I hated silence.

The quietness brought back the image of an old woman. She had helped a young man escape my wrath. Her actions only angered me more. My natural reaction was to attack her instead, and so I did. The old broad wasted her last breaths singing a lullaby. She sung it to herself. It was the first time I'd killed a woman and since then I've killed dozens like her, but her song has always stuck with me.

I struggled to reproduce it though. The lyrics wouldn't come out, only the tune. I kept humming the small song as I felt Taylor relax. Her legs left their uptight position. I twisted my neck so I could see her. She certainly did seem relaxed, a little too relaxed for my liking. "Hey, don't be falling asleep on me!" I growled.

She flinched into a ball again. "Mmm-naa."

I had no idea what that meant but it probably wasn't nice. I'd asked her nicely. "Hey!" I smacked the nearest part of her I could find. "I said don't fall asleep! If you are going to fall asleep, sit up!

Another array of grumbles came from her as she wrapped her covers around her and did as I said. I smiled in my triumph. "'at's more like it."

"Do you even sleep?" Her voice was no where near ready for speech. It sounded like it had just gone through a blender.

"Yep." I said with just the tone to be annoying. "So. That dream?" I quickly changed the subject.

She sunk deeper into her cocoon. "Oh my gosh, why do you even care?"

I lifted a lip at the thought. "I couldn't fucking care less!" I retorted. "You're the one who probably has this night all the time. I just figured I'd let you get it off your chest." That part was true.

Taylor started to twisted in her seat. She was doing such a weird dance with herself. I'm sure that if anyone else was in my position, they wouldn't be able to look away either. They probably wouldn't stare angrily at her though.

"Would you knock it off…" She said in a hush.

_I'll knock it off when I get what I want._ "Just tell me." Why did she have to be so stubborn. It can be such a mood killer sometimes.

"It isn't even that interesting!" From how she acts, you'd never think Taylor would be the shy type. It was nice.

Just because she was reluctant to tell me at first, doesn't mean I was going to give the slightest. "I'm not leaving until you tell me, bitch."

That must've done it because she whipped around furiously. "Fine I'll freaking tell you!" Then she began to explain her dream in a flow of jumbled together words. What I got from it was that her family was killed and when she finally had some hope the perpetrator killed her brother and almost finished her. Bottom line, she worries too much.

When she finally finished up I just stared at her. This time I wasn't trying to be rude, it simply that the little bitch was shaking like a leaf. "You're shaking." I pointed out.

"What?" I knew better than to fall for her dumb act. She was too proud to admit it, but she was shook up. I wanted to consol her. This girl that I had just met less than half a week ago, I wanted to wrap my arms around her and keep her safe. Or make her mine, I couldn't really tell which.

"Does it fucking bother you that badly?" I meant to say that more to myself than aloud.

Taylor cleared her though. "No." Her voice matched her body, unstable.

I really did want to help. Restraining myself from completely attacking her I shifted closer to her. "It was just a fucking dream." Another reason I should've to left, I suck at comforting people.

"Never mind." She murmured. Shit, she was pissed.

_**Now, you did it.**_ The annoying voice echoed to me. I ran a hand through my hair in order to shut it up. "I'm not saying that." Mid-sentence I started to get off the bed. "What I'm saying is that you're okay. Your family is fine. It was just a dream." Having a serious convict in her room probably wasn't the most comfortable sensation. I was just about at her window when Taylor half-exclaimed to me.

"Where are you going?"

Without hesitation I closed the gap between myself and the window. "You told me your dream, I'll fucking leave you alone now." I batted the rug out of the way in frustration. She didn't have to use that voice with me. In fact if she could've just shut the hell up, I could've left and never thought of her once again. Or so I told myself.

"No wait!" I stopped with my foot out the window. Did she really just stop me from leaving? "Could you maybe stay? Until I fall asleep?" The girl was afraid. I didn't blame her, but she didn't have to make it so difficult for me.

I playfully moaned noisily. "Well aren't you just troublesome." I didn't try to mask my pleasure with staying a little while longer. Bringing myself back through the window and in the same swift motion turned back to her. She wasn't under her covers though. She was on her hands and knees at the end of her bed-without anything to cover her chest. I couldn't help but stare. Her breasts looked even better with the little light the moon provided.

Noticing myself shocked looked she slowly examined herself. "Oh!" She squeaked and dashed back to the safety of her comforter. I started to laugh quietly. That baker didn't need to find us in the predicament we were in.

Taylor squirmed under the covers as I returned back to her bed. I patted what I was sure was her head. "It's okay, I didn't see anything." My laughter was cut down to a couple soft chuckles as I pulled the covers from over her head. I barely made out the glare she shot at me.

She rolled away from my presence. "You can leave once I'm asleep." Under the smile I was playing at I grit me teeth. Her cute request now appeared to be an ugly order. Whatever.

I climbed back onto the bed. I preoccupied myself with twiddling my fingers. Counting what scars I could find on my body. Taylor was unstoppably twitching and rolling and just not being still. "Stop fucking twitching!" I groaned.

She gave me one more roll before I figured I'd try and help her. I replayed the old woman's lullaby over in my head to make sure I had it down, then I started to hum out each verse.

Slowly the girl stopped being so tense and lulled off to sleep. I stopped humming when her breathing was soft and shallow. I stood from the bed and headed back to my exit. Never once in my life had I treasured anything. For some unknown reason though, I felt I wanted to keep her as safe as I possibly could.

Fucking shit.

**Alright, finally updated! Sorry it kind took awhile, I've been preoccupied with this albino kitten I found… Pathetic. Anyways, kind halved the story into Taylor and Hidan's point of views. I don't really like it this way, so I don't think Hidan or anyone else will get such a long P.O.V again. Thanks for reading! Review to reward, hmm?**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

After the awkward night with Hidan the visitations at the bakery were more often. It was always some combination of the quartet's members. Sometimes Kisame didn't show up. Or Itachi was a no show. Even on rare times Hidan was the odd ball. Tobi though, I could always count on Tobi appearing before the counter. He always bought the most sugar packed and delicious objects. I know that somewhere behind that mask was a darker side, but I was grateful I'd probably never have to meet the Madara side.

"Taylor-san!" Hikaru tugged me through the kitchen. "C'mon, we have to be ready! The Akatsuki people are coming." Hikaru had become accustomed to the foursome. He and Tobi always got along swimmingly. Tobi acted much like Hikaru, so I guess I wasn't surprised when he started playing games with Hikaru during his stops with us.

Itachi and I hadn't really spoken since the incident Hidan. A couple times I found him staring at me from behind his coffee cup. I tried asking him about it once, but he just simply walked away. Like always, it completely blind-sided me.

Hikaru and I stood behind the counter waiting as I fixed the knot behind my back. "Taylor-san."

"What?" I asked blearily. I had been napping up until that point.

"What's in your pocket?"

My eyebrows knit together. "Hikaru. What are you talking about?" He poked something that jabbed into my thigh.

"You've had it and you never take it out." His hand started to creep into my apron's pocket.

The moment before he reached the object, I realized it was my phone. My eyes widened and I jumped back. "N-nothing." I giggled anxiously. "It's nothing!" Hikaru blinked his large brown eyes at me.

He opened his mouth to ask more questions but was stopped by footsteps at the entrance of the shop. "Guys!" I exclaimed excitedly. To my surprise though it was only Itachi and Tobi. "Oh." I said under my breath.

"Hey Hikaru! Hey Tay-chan!" Tobi cheered. I kept a fabulous smile on as the duo neared.

Itachi glued his eyes on the coffee pot behind me before lazily peering at me. "I-I'm on break." I stuttered out. Hikaru looked up with confusion. "Yeah, Hikaru. I have to run some… errands for A-Aki." Really all I wanted was to get out and take a look at my cell phone. For the past two weeks, I'd forgotten about the poor device. Hikaru muttered out some complaints before replacing me with Tobi in his attention.

I scuttled out of the bakery, making an effort to ignore Itachi's stare. It was mid-day so the sun was really hitting the streets. Barely ten feet from the bakery, I pulled out my cell-phone. A little over fourteen days ago I'd kept it on all day long. Now it was as if I'd completely put out of my mind that I had a life to go back to. The day I had switched realities was the only time I had attempted to contact home. Not once more had I thought about my family, friends and even school. I 'left' on a Friday, so I didn't miss a lot of time… still.

I stopped in an empty street. My phone tapped out a rhythm as I patted it against my chin. Was it really worth the disappointment to try and call people again? They had to be worried sick about me. Right? I mean it's only natural for the youngest daughter of a family to be an object of concern. I gnawed at my lip as I wore a path with my pacing.

Finally I looked at my dead phone. What was the worse the could happen? I gave it a kiss and slid my finger over to the power button. "What are you doing?"

Startled, I jumped about three feet in the air. I whipped around to face Itachi. "I-Itachi-san." Through the rapid shaking that my hands were doing I shoved my phone back into the apron. "N-nothing w-what so ever." I left out a nervous laugh. "What are _you _doing here?" Did he see it? I could feel my hands becoming clammy as he closed in on me.

Itachi leaned forward and snatched my phone out of my pocket. "What is this?" His sharingan was at power when he gave me a suspicious look.

"It's mine!" I darted my body closer to get a better aim at my phone. "Give it back!" Itachi held the phone above his head, letting his sharingan slowly fade back to his natural eye color. My hand brushed past his face and into the air.

He didn't have to do any special tricks to keep the phone out of my reach. Even while I jumped on my tip-toes for it, he still had a good foot or more on me and his arm extended farther than I could wish to get to. "I asked you, 'What is this?'" He repeated with a slight bit of anger..

"I told you it's mine!" I bellyached as I gripped at his chest to increase my jumping capacity. A scent of pine overcame my senses. The scent pulled me ever closer to the body in my hands. Itachi froze up. My hand stopped reaching above my head and I began to realize how close I was. At that moment I couldn't imagine how incomprehensibly ignorant I must've came of as. Immediately embarrassed I lurched away from the Uchiha. "Itachi-san." I whined to my feet. "You're so mean." I muttered more to myself than out loud. A small nervous trait began to puppeteer my fingers to twiddle the apron into small lines. To be so absentminded as to climb all over Itachi like I did. _Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!_ He must think I'm a twit!

My eyes were squeezed shut in mortification when a soft chuckle shocked me. I slowly looked up from the ground to see Itachi suppressing a laugh. Masashi Kishimoto had never portrayed Itachi in this light, so it wasn't my fault when my knees went weak. I giggled in delight as he tilted his head to the side and handed my phone back to me. "Thank you, Itachi-san!" Without hesitation I slid the phone away, not willing to miss a second of Itachi in this form.

He turned away from me with a cough. For the first time I wasn't ready to rip him to shreds. Instead all I wanted to do was tag along side him. Or rather I wanted to try and pull another joyous sound from him. At his side I grinned up at him. "What?" He asked blatantly.

"Oh, C'mon Itachi-san." I smirked. "You can't hide it. I saw it!" I glided in front of him, intent on facing him. "You laughed!"

Itachi looked over my head and on ahead. "It was an outburst of coughs." I returned to walking back at his side normally. _Coughs my ass. _"And don't call me that." I blinked up at him, obviously flummoxed. Was there really a problem with me and him? "'Itachi-san'. You don't need to use honorifics."

My jaw hit the floor. Could it really be that the prestigious Itachi Uchiha, wanted a simple bakery girl to use familiar names with him. I couldn't help but feel privileged. I clasped my hands behind my back and held my head high. "Itachi." I sang. "You're not so bad."

"Hn."

The walk back was somewhat long. I didn't realize I had walked so far. I didn't really mind though. A Uchiha just laughed. A _Uchiha_! That's something! On top of that, it was Itachi! Maybe I really was in a coma… But the feeling I was getting from the rare sight wasn't that of a new discovery. It was more like I had uncovered a forgotten memory. My smile faded back to a confused frown. It was really great and all, on the other hand I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd seen it before. That wasn't possible of course. Where else could I have seen it? Not even in fan art and stuff like that had I seen it like this. No, this was like déjà vu.

"Something bothering you?" Itachi looked at me from the corner of his eye.

"Ah no- I just… I…" It was no use lying to him. He'd probably just see right through it anyways. "I feel like I've met you before." Another pregnant silence fell between us. "Or something like that." I added quickly. My skin crawled for my body to run away from Itachi with embarrassment. It was impossible. "Sorry, Itachi. That was just stupid. I really need to-"

"What were you like as a child?"

I completely stopped dead in my tracks. A personal question? I gawked at the back of Itachi's head. "E-Excuse me?" Itachi slowed to a stop and looked to me. Obviously he was waiting for an answer while I was still looking for an explanation. It was a little sudden to dive into personal questions, wasn't it? In fact it was really weird. "Itachi, I don't understand."

Itachi rested a hand in the opening of his cloak. "As a child, what did you enjoy?" I understood the question. What I didn't comprehend was why he wanted to know.

I blinked at him. There was no way I was telling him something as stupid as my childhood. My face contorted to an angry look. "I don't believe that is any of your concern." I tried my best to keep a polite speech pattern. A trip down memory lane was not something I had in my schedule, ever. The raven broke his bored stare by turning forwards again and headed back again. What the hell?

Reluctantly I followed behind him. As if it wasn't awkward enough before. Now we had this little jewel. I glared toward the sky. God truly wanted to torture me. It's not like I could've told him, anyways. If I had delved into my past joys I'd rant on about how it was all destroyed. Then I'd only get angrier and lose all control over my emotions. That was just something I couldn't risk have happening. I really was a selfish person. Itachi was just being friendly and I went all bitchzilla on him. I let out an exasperated sigh.

The bakery was cool compared to its outside counterpart. Aki was in the midst of replacing trays of goods with fresh new ones. He eyed Itachi and I through the glass gallery. Tobi and Hikaru were in a booth playing some card game. "Oh! Itachi-san, Tay-chan!" Tobi bounced from his seat. "You're both back!"

"Tobi, we have to leave." I looked at Itachi from over my shoulder. Oh, I'm the immature one? I'm pretty sure I did that to people I was angry at when I was in the fifth grade. It's called Cold Shoulder no Jutsu!

"Ahh, Itachi-san!" Tobi whined. "Can we please stay a while longer? Hikaru and I are playing cards!" He flailed his arms all over the place with emphasis. Poor kid. Itachi really cramped his style.

To comply with Itachi's techniques I walked out of the room and into the kitchen. I was actually headed to my bedroom for another nap. "Taylor-chan!" Aki stopped me. I flashed a smile at him. "I'm so glad your back." I've heard that before. The only times he's so kind is usually when he wants something. "I need you to run into town for me." Aki gripped his hands together below he sheepish grin.

"Can't you do it?" I moaned, all I wanted was a nap.

Aki's sweet smile dropped like a tree. "I'm sorry, are you trying be a _mooch?_" His eyes narrowed with threats. There he went pulling the mooch card. How could a baker be so manipulative?

I brought back my lively mask. "What do you need in town?" Aki swooped up his basket and tossed it to me. I caught it and looked inside. There was already a list inside. That damn baker knew I'd go! My eye twitched from the strain of holding back complaints. With no other choice I trudged back out of the kitchen and into the bakery. Tobi and Hikaru were playing cards again and Itachi was in the booth behind them. I focused on everything except the brooding Uchiha.

"One more thing!" Aki sounded behind me. I glared back at him. "Itachi-san," Aki smiled kindly. He was going to punish me, wasn't he? He could've just kicked me onto the streets, but no. That damn baker was going to torment me in other much more troublesome ways. Itachi stood from his seat. "Could you accompany Taylor into town? I don't want her running into trouble."

Itachi nodded to the cheers of Tobi. He was obviously excited to be able to play longer. I hurriedly walked out of the bakery again, Itachi behind me for once. His stare bore into the back of my head. "Itachi." I ground out. "You don't have to do this."

Quiet.

I gripped the basket in my hands. How I wanted to beat him down with the basket. My grip loosened. Why was I so angry? Itachi really hadn't done anything. He asked about a touchy subject that's all. He couldn't have possibly known that I didn't like discussing my childhood. I crossed my arms over my chest. I slowed my brisk walk to get back at Itachi's side. My fingers wrapped around the apron from under my arms.. "I liked climbing trees." I blurted out.

I bit my lip. "When I was little…" Itachi slunk his arm back through his sleeve. "Uh- I really…um…liked animals and stuff." My face began to feel like an inferno. "You know outdoorsy stuff." I muttered.

Cautiously I looked back up to Itachi. He was watching the on coming traffic of people. He didn't just ignore what I said, did he? I mumbled away my red cheeks and exacted my stress on planning my way through the crowd. The crowd was slow moving and jam packed. Much different than the loose bustling group I ventured through before so many times. It even smelled funnier. The mixture of different aromas never went well, but still this was by far difficult to bear.

A large woman began to barge through the mess. Her stomach hung a long way past a healthy amount. "Move! I need through!" Her voice boomed through the air with gluttony. People gladly made extra space for the woman. To my luck I was just in her line of movement when she passed me. Well actually she shoved me out of her way. I'm sure it was nothing personal, she just wanted to get her fat ass to the all-you-can-eat buffet as soon as possible. Which wouldn't be that soon seeing as her waddling impaired her speed. My hands saved my face from meeting the dirty road.

One foot at a time I tried to rescue the rest of myself from getting trampled. Being in the way, a lot of people chose to throw remarks at me. Like that was going to get me out of the way any faster. "Move it woman!" A man growled as he stepped over me.

"Shove it, Ugly!" I snapped back. He was already out of hearing range, but the small remark made me feel a little relieved. Probably a little distracted too, because suddenly a sharp pain shot up my leg. I yelped in pain as I fell back on my knees again. Someone must've stepped on it. I hissed in pain as I began to feel the light brushes and taps of people passing by me. They were barely noticeable before but the new wound brought attention to the tiny feelings.

I probably should've been trying to get out of the slow paced crowd instead of just staying put. I bit my tongue from yelling out for help. That would've just been pitiful. Out of the blue I was off my knees. I thrashed my head about, trying to put two and two together. When I finally looked up I found Itachi carrying me out of the crowd. "I-Itachi!" I gasped.

He pushed past one last person and emerged from the stream of clamoring. Itachi was holding me like a sack with one arm. I pulled at his arm. "Y-You can put me down now." I stammered.

Itachi swept me around, repositioning me in his arms. He was holding me bridal style. "You have an injury." His face showed no alarm. From what I could tell he wasn't putting me down any time soon. I pulled my basket closer for examination.

The thing was completely trampled. It looked like something had chewed it up and spat it out. In despair my face paled the longer I stared at the object. "My basket!" I exclaimed. I tugged at Itachi's torso. "Itachi! Look at what they did to my basket!" I waved the unrecognizable piece in the air eager to bring attention to the tragedy that lay at hand.

His expression didn't change. I pulled the basket awkwardly back into my arms. I held the basket like Itachi held me. Except my hold was a little more loving and comforting. I really hoped I didn't feel like a million thorns prodding into his flesh. Itachi stopped by a bench and gently set me down. He softly picked up my swollen foot and twisted it in a painful manner.

I jerked my appendage back. "That hurt!" I hissed.

Ignoring my blatant yelps of pain he took my foot back in his hands. Almost painlessly he felt other areas surrounding my ankle. "It isn't broken." Itachi said.

He brushed his hair out of his face with one swooping motion. My breathing hitched. That motion. Why did it seem so familiar? "Let's go back."

"Itachi." I breathed. His porcelain features turned back to me. All of this was like I was re-watching a movie. I was sure that I'd never seen any anime or read an mangas that held Itachi in such ways. So what was trying to come back to me? I held my arms up like toddler wanting to be held. "I don't think I can walk back."

In the gentlemanly manner that I knew he would show, Itachi picked me back up and carried me back to the bakery. His cloak wasn't just a the smell of pine, it had a certain smell to it. Still holding onto the shredded basket I watched Itachi's stoic expression until he was placing me in a booth. "Taylor-san!" Hikaru ran over to me.

"Taylor, are you alright?" Aki strolled over to our little grouping. I couldn't let him know how useless I really was. I stood on my throbbing ankle with a roll of the eyes.

"Of course, I am." I lobbed the basket at him. "The basket is a little out of shape." Aki's face was pulled between shock and concern as he turned the basket over in his hands. Hikaru shoved himself into my waste.

"Tobi-kun beat me!" His weight added on top of mine made my ankle even angrier. I pet his head with comfort it was the only way to brush aside Itachi's stare.

"How about I practice with you in our free time?" Hikaru's looked up, face glowing with excitement. He took hold of my hand and began pulling me to the booth holding his cards. I guess know was as good a time as ever. Each step created a new wave of pain rushing through my leg. I only let out barely discernible grunts as I followed the young boy. On the table lay a mess of cards. They were fairly similar to the playing cards I had back home except there were different symbols on them.

Hikaru slid a pile of cards to me. "Got it, Taylor-san?"

"Hmm?" I tried to reel my mind back from dazing off. He must've gave an explanation to me, I just hadn't heard. "I'm sorry Hikaru, what?"

Hikaru began pointing to different cards and elucidate on the terms of the game. Except I couldn't hear any of the words. All I could see were his lips moving. Maybe if I could've read lips I could've acted like nothing was wrong. I began lightly shaking my head. My head started to spin and there was suddenly three Hikarus in front of me. At the oddest angle the room started tilting and my head hit something.

"Hikaru-san." Itachi's voice cooed. "Taylor-san isn't feeling very well. I think she needs to rest for a couple minutes, okay?" He called me Taylor-san. It was the first time since I arrived he said my name. It was nice and smooth in his voice.

All three Hikarus nodded frantically while sliding out of my eyesight. The room started coming back together while my body rested against the wall. A hand grazed down my arm. "Thank you, Itachi." The hand stopped and it was gone.

I let out a large sigh. He wasn't such a bad guy.

* * *

**Sorry this chapter was a little... short and...late. I was really struggling getting ideas U.U'. Anyways, thanks for the reviews so far! Got any ideas of how you want the story to progress, please don't hold back! Thanks for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Another nightmare.

Another restless night.

The recurrences hadn't diminished at all since I told Hidan about them. In fact they were practically every night. The only thing that had changed was the dream itself. I wasn't at either of my homes, I was in a hospital. Everyone is rushing around me, while a doctor flashes a light in my eyes. Everyone being hospital staff and my immediate family. Each time a frantic mom and teary-eyed dad are standing in the back either clutching a child or a Bible, sometimes both. I can't call out to them for the most of the dream, and when I can no one ever reaches me in time. That is, before I wake up.

In any other dream I could never really feel the knife cutting me. Or feel the dying touch of my family members. But in this new found night terror I could feel everything. The doctor's scrambled touches. The feeding tube taped to my mouth. Even the oxygen tube in my nose. The funny thing is, everything has vague similarities, but everything is different. Everyone is wearing different things, the doctor is on different sides and the sequence of this is always a bit off.

With the murderous dreams it was something different every time. And I probably wouldn't have noticed the small changes if I hadn't had the same dream for a week straight

Okay, maybe they weren't- bone chilling. None the less it leaves me with a racking migraine. For example, one left me with a head ache that lasted until the late afternoon. The worst of it was at an end when a shrill voice cut through my eardrums. "Taylor-chaan!"

Tobi bust through the shop, Kisame, Itachi and a blonde fellow, in close pursuit.

"H-Hello, Tobi!" I winced from the sudden noise.

"Tobi!" The blonde man roared. This had to be Deidara. Tobi dashed behind me for cover. That hardly stopped Deidara from thundering after him. Deidara swung an arm around me in attempts to grab Tobi. He wasn't so feminine in real life. Oh, if only his fangirls could see him now. I'm sure he wouldn't be able to stand, let alone have that concealing robe on.

"Can I help you?" I hissed when a tongue slid over my shoulder.

As if he hadn't noticed me before, Deidara blinked his visible eye at me. He took his hands back to his sides. "Has Tobi done something bad?" It was a stupid question considering Tobi always is meddling around.

"N-No!" Tobi practically put my arm in a vice grip. "I-I'm a good-boy!" That probably meant he had pissed his 'senpai' off somehow. Really I didn't care. I was just upset over the fact that Deidara had successfully revived my pain. So of course I'm going to take Tobi's side.

The blonde's mouth squirmed with annoyance as Kisame bellowed out a chuckle filling the tense atmosphere. It had been a full week since the shop had any company. Well- _their_ company that is…

Deidara ended up moseying off into a booth, was he planning on staying? That was when my eyes drifted to Itachi. The raven was observing something on the wall, only feeding the ball of hurt welling up in my chest. There was no doubt in my mind that Itachi was trying, for some reason, to ignore me.

"Tobi!" Hikaru dashed out from the kitchen and attached himself to Tobi's leg.

The sudden thrash of action jolted myself and my migraine into reality. The stare I had fastened on Itachi broke too. Instead of looking at me as I was hoping, Itachi turned and faced the shadowing streets.

"Hey Squirt!" A thick arm landed upon my shoulder. "How's that ankle holding up?"

I twisted my head up to look at Kisame. I'm sure he knew that if it was still bothering me, my abrupt change in weight would've sent me howling. "It's fine, thanks." Kisame smiled a sharp-toothed grin for me. His odd teeth situation momentarily distracted me from wanting to overdose on Advil and Tylenol.

"Wait." I thought back. Kisame hadn't been there when I had sprained my ankle. "How did you know about that?" I glanced down at my ankle. There wasn't any bandaging and all the bruising and swell had were well gone.

"Oh." He pointed a thumb at the raven standing alone in the shop. "Itachi said you had gotten a sprain ankle from some prick in the market." I was almost positive Itachi didn't use those exact words. Kisame shrugged his broad shoulders. "He advised the rest of us to keep our distance so you didn't strain yourself."

My cheeks blushed the lightest shade of pink. They had stayed away because Itachi had told them to. Itachi had told them to out of worry for my sake. It sort of made up for his act of ignoring me.

"I see you've met Deidara." I threw a glimpse at the aggravated blonde in a booth, simply confirming Kisame's statement. "He's always like that." Kisame slid his arm from my shoulder to cross his arms across his chest. "Can you blame him? He's got Tobi as a partner. Though, none of the Akatsuki partners actually get along, really."

I fixed a confused look on Kisame. "You and Itachi-san seem to get along just fine."

Kisame chuckled. "If you call that getting along…"

"What about Hidan and Ka-his partner." I caught myself from saying the rest of Kakuzu's name.

That only made Kisame make an even more amused face than he already had. "Hidan? And Kakuzu? I'm not sure who doesn't get along more. Those two or those two." He thrust his head in Deidara and Tobi's direction. I was surprised he let Kakuzu's name slip so easily.

Which reminded me- "Kisame, where has Hidan been?" He certainly hadn't paid me anymore late night visits. Or any visits at all, to be frank.

"Him and Kakuzu, his partner, are out on a mission." A small surge of panic sprung to life in the pit of my stomach. For a moment I thought to the episode of Naruto where Hidan and Kakuzu meet their dooms. Tobi was a part of the Akatsuki, which meant Sasori was out of the picture. Lining Hidan and Kakuzu up next for the guillotine.

Kisame slapped my shoulder. "Don't worry, they'll be ok." That wasn't assuring. "It was only a small recon mission back in one of their villages. They are probably on their way back by now. Those two will be passing through here-" He paused for a second. "Probably later tonight."

I began to ask for a better reason not to worry, but got distracted when out of the corner of my eye I saw Tobi closing in on Deidara's ponytail. He never made it to do whatever he had plotted to because Deidara caught his hand and nearly strangled him to death from over a booth seat. It truly was n comical sight to see.

That must've triggered some kind of hilarious memory because Kisame started blather on about some Tobi-annoying-Deidara story. I don't know why I was actually listening to him ramble on, I already knew most of everything he was telling me. 'Course if I listened to Kisame talk about it, I could act like I had just found out. What would a normal person do if they just found out that another person had one of the most annoying people in existence as a partner? I pursed my lips. "Poor guy."

Moving away from the large shark man, I made my way over to the gallery of sweets. My favorite of all of them were Aki's doughnuts. They were absolutely the best thing to ever enter my mouth. Aki was down visiting his mother for the evening. He was right when he had said that she only came around when she wanted something. I hadn't seen hide nor hair of the woman since she dropped me off with her son. With Aki gone, I was free to give out a complementary doughnut.

Snatching up a plain glazed one I slipped it onto a plate I had grabbed from the kitchen. I gazed through the glass box and straight at Deidara. He was still in that booth, brooding more than likely.

I placed the treat in front of him, trying to make my smile look genuine. I sat across from the questioning man. With a hand by my mouth I whispered. "It's on the house." As if someone wasn't supposed to hear. Deidara just kept on staring at me, waiting for an explanation of my sudden kindness? I could only guess. "We started out on the wrong foot."

I reached my hand over the table. "My name is Taylor."

Almost reluctantly he met my hand with his, surprisingly not licking all up and down my palm. "I'm Deidara." Another bright smile blew across my face as he pinched out a small grin.

"I'm guessing you're used to Tobi's mischief by now?" I asked implying the scene I witnessed earlier. Deidara blinked until it finally clicked.

"The idiot tries it all the time. And with that little kid, he's probably trying to show off." He snorted.

I smiled sympathetically. "Hikaru never pulls any of that, so I can't say I empathize."

Deidara scratched his neck. "So that kid, Hikaru-" His eye darted away from our eye contact at Hikaru's name. "Is he your… kid?" His words were almost incomprehensible from the nervous cough at the end of his sentence.

"No," I rolled my eyes for comic relief. "Ought as well be, though. He's usually pretty much connected to me by the hip."

Deidara let out a breath he'd been holding in. "Oh, thank God." I had to laugh at his reaction to the news. "Cause that would'a ruined all my plans." He smiled jokingly.

His attempts at flirting weren't half bad. They'd almost took my attention away from the untouched doughnut between us. "You know…" I tapped my finger on the edge of the plate. "You aren't getting anywhere so long as _this_ is untouched."

Deidara glanced down at the pastry and back at me. I kept a stubborn look on all the while. "What can I lose?" Deidara shrugged as he finally indulged himself on the doughnut. The one eye of his that I was able to see nearly bulged from his head. He looked back up at me.

"This is really good, yeah!" His habitual 'yeah' made my eyebrows hit my hairline. I'd just about forgotten about it. A minute hadn't even passed when the plate was empty.

"I'm guessing you liked it?" I smiled benevolently.

He leaned his arms onto the table. "Yeah, I did. You really know how to make friends!" My eyes shot to Itachi and back. How wrong he was.

A mouth on one of his hands squirmed, catching my eye. Pulling by his finger I brought the hand to my face. "H-Hey! Don't do that!" I ignored Deidara's protests. The mouth didn't move an inch. It was playing possum with me. I swiped a free finger over the now empty plate gathering a little glaze. Wiping it off again across the mouth I waited for a reaction. The lips writhed trying to resist. When it became to much to handle, a tongue plunged out and licked every inch of glaze off. I squealed excitedly.

"That is so cool!" I beamed to Deidara. He seemed almost shy about the tongues. The tongue, shamed from letting loose, crumpled back into the mouth.

Out of the blue a smirk appeared on his face. "If you think _that's_ cool." He dug his free hand into his cloak. When he brought it back out it seemed to be gnawing on something. My eyes widened, he was making an explosive. The mouth spat out a clay butterfly. My stomach curdled when it took off, heading for my face. I screamed, ducking out of the way.

"What's wrong?" Deidara asked, obviously alarmed by my sudden shriek.

From the corner of the booth I pointed to the floating clay model. "Butterfly." It was my largest phobia. "I-I hate them!" It was still fluttering ever closer.

Deidara gave me a small look before bursting out in laughter. "It's not funny!" I squeaked. "Get it away!" He plucked the clay insect from the air and murmured something to it. I squeezed my eyes shut, anticipating an explosion of some sort. Instead just another laugh from the blonde bomber.

Opening one eye I shot a look at Deidara. His hand was chewing up the clay again. He had such an amused face on that I didn't have the heart to yell at him for the panic attack he gave me. When he mouth opened once more, a spider crawled out. Putting the small anger aside I scooped the spider in my hands. It cocked it's small clay head at me. "It's so cute!" I nearly screamed. The spider flinched from my sudden outburst.

Deidara leaned on his hand. "Figures you'd prefer a spider over a butterfly, yeah." I stuck my tongue out at him as I watched the spider start exploring my body.

"How did you learn to do this?" I giggled.

"I don't really know. I just knew, yeah?" He shrugged as if it was nothing. "I can make a lot more intricate things, this is easy."

"Could you show me sometime maybe?"

"Why not?"

I squealed through another octave. The spider fell onto the table from surprise. I took the spider in my hands. "Sorry, little guy." I whispered.

"Deidara." An icy voice sounded. When had Itachi gotten to the end of the table?

"Yes, Uchiha?" Deidara's voice was full of displeasure.

Itachi gazed at the spider in my hand. "Deactivate that." I looked down the cringing spider in my palms.

"No!" I gasped. I sheltered the clay model with cupped hands. "Don't deactivate him!" I pleaded to Deidara.

"I wasn't planning on it." Deidara snorted.

"It's dangerous." Itachi threw me a nasty look. My breath hitched and I diverted my eyes back to my hands. This wasn't the kind of attention I wanted from him. Not that I really wanted his attention. Anyways why was he was suddenly so upset?

"I'm not going to set it off." Deidara retorted sounding a little offended.

The towering raven tore his eyes from me. "Deactivate it." After a few moments of silence, Deidara grunted something out and I felt the clay deform in my hands. Opening my hands I saw just a lumpy ball of clay. My heart sank.

I turned to Itachi. Disappointment scrawled all over my face. The disappointment quickly turned to outrage. _Let him have it! _I opened my mouth to obey my conscience.

"Ya evil, lil' tramp of a succubus!" A sharp voice ripped me from my soon-to-be rant. All heads turned to the shop entrance. In hobbled Aki's mother. I stood from the booth to greet her. She sure had a way of saying 'Hello.'

"Good even-"

"Dun't ya pull that nunsense on meh!" She cut me off. Aki ran in after her.

"Mother! Stop this!"

The elderly woman was obviously paying no attention to her son. She pointed a spindly finger at me. "Ya huv _no_ businuss her anymore."

My eyebrows knit together. "Ma'am what _are _you talking about?"

Her little nostrils flared even harder. Maybe I shouldn't have said that… "_You._" She said with such infuriation that she her voice shook. "Ya lied, child. When I met ya, ya told me that ya were shinobi of the Leaf. I told ya that ya could stay with muh son on the terms that ya would persuade him to follaw the ninja life style!"

My face paled. First off this was not the time and place to say that was one a ninja, and two from the Leaf Village of all places! "An' now ya brung criminuls intuh his shop!"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" I half-yelled. It was true. When on earth had we ever had that discussion? "We never made any kind of deal!"

Her lips pursed so tightly they were a threatening shade of white. "Use that empteh head of yurs and think for moment." I straightened out my posture in attempts to show her I wasn't intimidated by her. Though I did use her advice and thought for a second.

"_I'm from Konohagakure. I'm seeing the world before I become a full-fledged shinobi."_ My exact words echoed into my head. Instantly I felt sick to my stomach. She had been saying something to me on our way to the shop, I was so entranced by everything else I had just ignored her… She must've thought we had made terms.

"That's what I thought." She spat.

"Mother." Aki growled louder than before. "Stop this."

His mother pressed further though. "You were wearin' oddball clothes too. If ya ain't no ninja and ya ain't from no Konohagakure, where are ya exactly from?" From the outside, she doesn't look too menacing. In fact you could probably hit her in the chin if you lifted you knee high enough. But she sure packed a punch…

The shop was quiet again. If I didn't know it was actually full of people, I would have thought it was empty. I basically gave myself a brain-cramp from trying to hurriedly put together some alibi. For once in my life, for the very first time since I had mastered lying, I was empty handed. "I-I-"

"I don't believe that is any of your business." A voice bellowed from my side. Itachi stood beside me. Defending me.

Ma didn't like that. "And who might a criminul be, bargin' in on a mother protectin' her child?"

Itachi blinked down at her, even with out the sharingan he was scary. "I think Aki has voiced his discontent with you patronizing this young woman." He laid a hand on my back. His touch was too light for me think he wanted to be in this position.

"Thank you, Itachi-san." Aki nodded his head. He stepped out from behind his mother. "Mother." He said scornfully. "I'm sure you have reasons for this scene you've caused. But-" He looked over at me, who must've seemed terrified because he smiled reassuringly. "Taylor is a very nice and well meaning girl. She isn't mooching from me, she works here to stay. So I'd appreciate it if you left her alone."

His mother's eyes nearly bugged out of her head. Her eyes darted from me to Itachi and finally back to Aki. The shock in her eyes soon was replaced with pure frustration. "This-this- _succubus_-" She hissed at me. "Will be your downfall." She ran her eyes over what I'm guessing was every man in the room.

A small hand grabbed mine. "Taylor doesn't have tentacles!" Hikaru protested. "That means she isn't an octopus!"

I smiled at the little boy's innocence. Of course he wouldn't know what a succubus was. I'm actually surprised _anyone_ in this dimension knew what it was. As far as I knew that word was used in the medieval times of England for a demon that had sex with men in their sleep. So she was she calling me a demon or a whore? Or both? Probably both.

Aki's mother's eyes nearly bugged out at the sight of Hikaru. I could only imagine what was running through her head. Something along of the lines of Hikaru being me actual son I'm sure. Her disapproval was evident in her frown. If she was back in my world, I'm sure she'd be a Christian fanatic and Aki would be a tattoo artist.

Her mouth gaped open and shut as she tried to find words to insult me further. In the end she produced a sound that resembled something of an angry pigeon. I have to admit when he waddled out of the shop I felt a small surge conquest. Of course I didn't let myself drawl upon it too long. Aki watched his mother leave. He probably felt a little bad. Hence my hesitation for jumping up and down.

I pulled myself form Itachi's light touch. "Aki, listen-"

"No." His head lowered a small bit. "Don't worry about it."

"No! I'll tell you the truth-"

Itachi stood by me once more, hand on my shoulder. Aki turned around, his face surprisingly bright. "I trust you. It's fine." Trust me? He barely knew me! In fact he didn't even know my last name!

"Aki-" Itachi's hand tightened on my shoulder. I threw my head to lock eyes with Itachi.

"He said it was fine." He was being more persistent than me at that point. To which threw me off even more.

I sighed. It wasn't that I had a guilty conscience; I had well taken care of that problem back in my pre-teen years. The problem was more along the lines of I needed to tell somebody about where I was from so that they could help me get back. I wasn't too eager about getting back school, though that was an issue too. What I was dwelling on was that either I was filed in some missing person report, I was, or some other odd scenario.

Aki patted my shoulder as he passed me. "To think she believed _you_ were a _ninja_ of all things." He chortled to himself, heading back to his cave of a kitchen. "You can't even walk upstairs without tripping!" My face flushed. So I wasn't the most nimble person, sue me.

After my face had calmed down a considerable amount I faced Itachi with a smile. Of course he didn't have the same to offer. Hell. When did he ever? "Itachi?" I asked more afraid than concerned. It was the first time I had seen such a face look such a way. It was as if he was torn between uneasiness and guilt.

"Kisame." His voice was still as calm as ever. He ironed out the emotions on his face once again. "It's time." _To head out_. I finished his sentence for him in my head.

A confirming grunt announced itself from behind me. The spot where Itachi had a grasp on me was now throbbing. I made a mental note to complain about it later. Kisame practically had to kick Tobi the whole way out of the shop. Deidara on the other hand left quietly all the while shooting Itachi looks. Because as they all left, Itachi stood put. Hikaru waved them all off, still holding onto my hand being the only thing between Itachi and me.

"Hikaru." My voice cracked. I finally broke the eye contact with Itachi. I smiled down at Hikaru. "Itachi-san and I have to talk. Would you go in with Aki-san and help him something?"

Hikaru was never one to complain, unless it was about being bored or not seeing Tobi. He simply pulled a pout and trudged deeper into the shop. I watched him intently, trying my hardest to stretch the time before Itachi spoke again. He hadn't even said anything was wrong, but I could just feel there was something heavy on his mind. It was like the time when my mom and dad told me about them getting divorced. Not a word and I knew everything.

"Itachi, I'm sorry. I-I know what this is about."

His hand left my shoulder. A wave of blood rushed into my shoulder. "Why didn't you say something sooner?" His voice cut like a scolding older brother.

"I thought you'd be angry." My voice sounded like I was choking on a raisin.

"Why in God's name would I be angry?" He pressed his hand to his forehead.

"Maybe angry isn't the right word. Suspicious is more along the lines."

Itachi shook his head in small turns, like he didn't agree. "Suspicious? Taylor I would never-"

"I didn't want you poking around and finding out too much." I blurted suddenly

The confusion lifted from his face. He squeezed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger. "We're having a conversation with two different topics."

I stretched my spine as straight as a pin. "Well I'm talking about me lying about being a ninja… What're you talking about?" My hand clutched the seam of my shirt. I didn't like where this was going.

Itachi stared at my through the pregnant pause. It looked as if he was trying to decide whether or not to proceed. Proceed with what, I could have only guessed. After some time he reached into his robe. My first thought was that he was going to pull one of those, 'If I tell you, then I would have to kill you.' things and point a kunai at my head. I felt as if I had watched one too many movies when instead he pulled out a locket.

It was a considerable size for a locket but it was in pristine condition, being as it wasn't tarnished or anything. Itachi held it out to me. I eyed it warily before taking into my own hands. The trinket was heavy too. "My father gave that to my mother." Itachi stated flatly.

My eyes nearly bugged out of my head. Naturally he meant his dead ones. The ones he had killed. Even if he had been forced to commit the terrible act, it didn't change the fact that the locket was his dead mother's that was given to her by his dead father. "Oh, Itachi." I cooed through my distress.

"Open it." He barely whispered.

Doing as I was told I pried the silver keepsake open with my thumbs. A folded paper practically jumped out at me. I pulled the paper out and looked inside the locket. On one side was picture of his mom and dad together on the other side was a picture of a younger Itachi and was I assumed was a young Sasuke. Before I could examine the pictures further Itachi pointed to the folded paper.

I looked up at him through a few strands of hair then carried on to unfold the paper. It ended up being another, larger picture. In it stood; a young Itachi and a young Sasuke. Itachi seemed more than content and Sasuke was smiling like only a young boy can. Sasuke reminded me greatly of Hikaru in that moment. I don't think that was what Itachi wanted me to see, though. Because standing between the two brothers was a small girl. More than likely Sasuke's age.

Her blonde hair was slightly disheveled and her hand was almost bound to Itachi's. Her smile was large and energetic. A smile that I had seen one too many times to be able to recognize on sight. All color drained from my features. "Itachi." My voice was strained. "Itachi what is this?"

"A picture from my childhood." He stated the obvious, beating around the bush

"Who's this girl?" I was basically pleaded for him to tell me anything but-

"She's you."

* * *

**Gahh, sorry for wait... I kept re-doing this chapter- then I got poison ivy or something all over my face. Anyways! Hope it's worth the wait. Review for reward? :D**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

The photograph was creased permanently, the edges worn and tattered, the authenticity nearly in every way too hard to ignore. My head seemed to hollow as my hands shook. "This is not me." My tone didn't have the same confidence as my words. It trembled with doubt.

"It is." Itachi's hand glided over my own and onto the picture, pointing out the little girl's ankle. Her ankle was wrapped in gauze. "See that? When I met her she had a gash on her left ankle, the kind that leaves some kind of a scar." I pulled my eyes off of the picture and back to Itachi. Where was he going with that? "When you twisted your ankle and I checked it out, I found a scar exactly where hers was to be."

"I got that scar when I was in an accident." I said all too quickly. A pause directly afterwards, indicated Itachi's wait for an explanation. "I can't really remember, but when I was little I fell down a flight of stairs and hit my head pretty hard. I was in a coma for two months before I woke up. When I did wake up, I already had a fresh scar."

Itachi looked back down at the girl. Something ran through his eyes. "Do you know how long this girl was with my family and me?" My silence urged him on. He turned his head back to me. "Two months."

"Itachi, I am really sorry." I pushed the photo out of my sight. "But you don't understand. That girl can_not_ be me." I mean, there was a possibility that it could've been me. But how was I supposed to explain myself to Itachi?

"It is." Itachi straightened his posture out. "The girl in that picture is Taylor Emily Hench."

I was about to protest when I realized something, I'd never told him my last name, nor my middle for that matter. Instead of rearranging my face back to its original self, I let the puzzlement screw it up. Itachi, as if unfazed by my complete perplexity, took the photo and locket back into his own possession. Carefully he refolded and placed the picture back into the locket before making it disappear into the depths of his coat.

"You used to call me 'Itchy.'" His eyes finally fell back onto mine. "I don't think you could pronounce my name at the age of eight."

"Itchy?" My eyebrows knit together. After my coma I had had an imaginary friend I named 'Itchy.' I told everyone about all of my adventures with Itchy. About how cool he was, and even that he was in a family of ninjas. My parents thought it was cute, my psychiatrist on the other hand thought I was taking it too far with a new story nearly every day.

"I nearly forgot about Itchy." I mumbled completely stunned.

"I would say you completely forgot about me." Itachi drawled obviously jaded.

I waved a hand at him, telling him to be quiet. "Not you." Even though how similar the two may be. "My imaginary friend." I crossed my arms over my chest. "I guess Miss Hannah got me to get rid of him."

"Miss Hannah?"

"My childhood therapist." I bit my lip. That's all Itchy was- imaginary. That's all he could- no- should be. There was no way I could have entered another reality as a _child_. I mean that just didn't happen. Itchy was an after effect of having a severe concussion at such a young age.

"Taylor." Itachi had rounded me and stood in front of me. I am not quite sure why I looked up, but I did. I can only imagine the look that had been on my face. Itachi on the other hand, had a look that made my stomach lurch. A familiar look. Like long awaited relief. "Why don't you tell me about your Itchy?"

I nodded slightly. We both slid into a booth. Itachi seemed too at ease for me. I was completely freaking out on the inside. And he just had the smallest of smiles planted on his face. I didn't know where to start about my made up friend. Miss Hannah made it seem that it was bad to talk about him, so I didn't talk about him afterwards.

"What was he like?" Itachi gave me a head start.

"He was almost always calm." I shrugged. "Except I sometimes made him frustrated."

"Can you remember what he looked like?"

An excited smile came over me against my wishes. "He had black hair. Except it was like a light black. Plus a pretty pale complexion. Then-"I put my fist my mouth to try and hold back my excited cry. "Oh my God, he had these cool eyes. They changed colors!" I ran a hand over my ponytail to try and console my overexcitement. It'd been too long since I had last talked about my past friend. Itachi simply stared at me. An eyebrow shot up with amusement. His eyes were phased into one of his numerous sharingans. I think he was trying to say something…

It was time for a change of subject. I licked my lips nervously. "So, what was this 'Taylor' like?" I really didn't want to know. For all I knew, he could just make up some personality for her, so that she matched me.

He pulled a sugar dispenser into his hands. The tall shaker passed between his two palms. "She was energetic and so pleasant for her age." The motions of his hands faltered for a moment. "Taylor had a way with people. My brother, who was intolerant of other children and pretty cold, warmed right up to her. Oddest thing."

I kept quiet for a couple seconds. Not much of a description, was it? "How did you meet her? She just show up one day?"

Itachi began examining the sugar dispenser further. "I was in the woods training one evening, and she was just wandering around. I took her home to ask my mother what I should do with her and seeing as how she'd always wanted a daughter- so she stayed with us."

"What if she had had a family?" I nearly shrieked.

The dispenser in one hand, it's lid in another, Itachi merely snorted. "Well we didn't just kidnap her if that's what you're getting at." I fought down a wicked blush as he went on. "She met with some Konoha officials and that was that. They said she should stay with us until further notice." I laid my chin in my palm. His story was a bit on the sketchy side, but it wasn't really his story that mattered right now.

"A while back you told me that you felt that you'd met me before, correct?"

My head shot up. "I've been wrong." Itachi was leaned back in his seat. Every time I'm in a debate I'm usually in a frenzy practically just to prove them wrong, and here he was with his calm and collected self. Acting as if he couldn't really care either. Which pissed me off.

Itachi placed the now intact dispenser back into its spot. "Why is it so difficult for you to admit that, that is really you in my photograph?"

His question irked me further. Of course I couldn't just tell him that since I was from another reality, I would look nearly stupid. I rummaged through every single excuse I'd made in my life, trying to make one fit each time. "I-I…" They all just didn't help me in any way. "Why are you so sure it is me?"

The Uchiha's mouth formed the smallest scowl of scowls. To be honest I had to stare at it for a couple moments just to be sure that's what it was. "No other girl in the world is stupid enough to lob a _doughnut _at the back of an Akatsuki member's head." It took me a little thought to process his statement. Heh, forgot about that.

"Fine!" I growled. "Let's say that by some chance we were-" I paused "friends- at some point in time. What happened?" It's not that I was giving in. It was just that- hypothetically speaking, Itachi was my missing Itchy and I was his childhood Taylor- this _**was **_pretty freaking amazing!

Itachi ran a hand through his hair. Thoroughly brushing his hair out of the way, in a way that only models should be able to do. His expression was slightly pained. When he looked back at me I was completely willing to just comply with him so he'd stop with the gorgeously heartrending look.

"I had a mission." His voice was coarse and uneven. "It was only for a day or two. When I came back, you were gone." I waited a few more moments to make sure there wasn't more. I wasn't getting any more out of him at that point. For some reason a lump formed in my throat. So that's all there was to it? She- (I?)- blew in, blew up, and blew out. Just like that.

"I looked for you- but you just… were nowhere." I could tell he was straining himself so that he didn't break eye contact

His story. The way he made it seem he was emotionally attached. It bothered me. When I'm bothered I squirm. I mean this is Itachi Uchiha! The man killed his whole family! People who do that have to get rid of any feelings of attachment what so ever! So… it was impossible, right?

Itachi leaned onto the table, his stare intensifying. "You honestly don't remember any of what I'm saying?"

"_Itchy!" I giggled as his mom was still in the middle of braiding my hair. Itchy was walking past the dining room when he stopped. He smiled softly as I kicked my legs eagerly. His smile was signature and as was positively heart melting._

"_Alright, go on then." Itchy's mom chuckled and let my braid hit my back. I jumped from my seat and latched onto Itchy's arm. He'd been away all morning and I was near a near frantic without him._

_He ran a hand over the length of my braid. "Oh, what do we have here?" I swelled with pride from his acknowledgement and craned my neck to smile up at my friend. I knew I liked him and I liked being the center of his attention._

"_Doesn't she look cute, Itachi?" His mom smiled knowingly._

_Itachi…_

Itachi. I remember her calling him Itachi. It kind of made sense now. All the times where I had been convinced Itchy was real. Every time that Itachi had seemed so recognizable. If I had been somehow switched realities once, what said that I couldn't have done it as a child? And coincidentally Itachi was my long lost friend… "No."

"What?"

"No, I don't remember anything." I heard myself say. _What? Of course you do!_ I shrugged my shoulders. What was I doing? Or rather… why?

Itachi eyes didn't waver from mine. Making keeping a calm complexion even more difficult. It would just be more distractions from getting myself home. Being in Itachi's presence was time consuming enough, dealing with him more than necessary would just take up all of my attention. And I didn't want that. Of course I didn't. A gorgeous man at my side… no one wanted that! Especially not the kind who was worried about you for something like eight years…

"Well since I won't be changing your mind anytime soon…" Itachi stood from the table. I basically had to wipe the drool from my mouth. "I guess I better get going."

_Oh just give in already!_ "Yeah." I watched him walk away until I thought of something. That was probably my window of opportunity to scream out. 'No, Itachi! I lied! It is me! Please don't make me loose you again!' Or something else that sounded like it came from a cheesy romantic comedy.

But instead I just watched him leave. My fingers didn't move to the seem of my shirt, like they were known to. No, they were far more interested in laying on my lap, numb and more than displeased with me. Hell, I was displeased with myself. I just for no reason at all shot down Itachi Uchiha.

"Moron." My fingers twitched. "You are really dumb, you know that?"

Aki was standing at the other end of the booth. My mouth formed a frown. "Excuse me?"

He ran his hands over his apron, probably only covering them more with flour. "That man practically threw himself at you." He didn't go any further into details.

"So?" I growled.

Aki's eyebrows furrowed into a angered look. "Then do you have something to hide? Is that it?"

I slammed my hands on the table. "What are you trying to say?" For what had to have been the millionth time that day, my tone didn't match my actions. It was dead.

His head bobbed backwards a bit. He looked behind himself and all around. Not in the typical is-anyone-around fashion. No it was more like he was buying himself time to rearrange his words. Soon he looked back to me. "You've been lying to everyone since you showed up." Aki's hand flew towards the shop entrance. "Hell, you don't even have a problem with _mass murderers_! What could you be hiding that would put the _Akatsuki_ to shame?"

By then my lips were pressed into a thin line and my eyes were grinding out death threats. _He's really going to be like this? Fine. Then fight fire with fire._ "I'm from another dimension."

Aki just kept staring at me. "Is that the best you got?" He threw his head around in a small circle. "For the love of God! Just admit you're problem! Tell me already!"

I leaned forward to grab him by his collar but my body slammed into table. My cell phone jammed into my thigh. "Fuck!" I shouted squirming from the booths grasp. Aki was eyeing me rub my leg from under my apron.

"What is that?" I looked over at him. I almost retorted about my fresh bruise but instead Aki stepped closer. "In your apron pocket, what is that?"

"A cell phone." _No used in making anymore excuses now. Just tell him_. I pulled it from my pocket. "It's like a walky-talky in way." I laid it in Aki's unsuspecting hands. "Where I come from, everyone has one of those."

He flipped it around in his hand for a second before looking back up at me. "You're actually serious about this excuse, aren't you?" I felt like I was an illegal alien that had been hiding for years in some backwash Montana town. A newly found out illegal alien to be specific. Aki rubbed the back of his neck aggrivatedly. "Then just start from the beginning!"

Where was the beginning? This wasn't something that just happened. I supposed my past adventure didn't really matter at the time being- at least not with _him _anyways. "I was at my Mom's house- in the bathroom." I didn't notice, but my eyes began to squint. "I slipped and hit my head. Then when I came to... I was out in the middle of some forest."

"That's not much of an alibi."

My head shot up. "This isn't an alibi! It has happened before."

"What has?"

A slight wave carried throw my hand. "This whole situation. When I was little." Itachi's picture ran through my head.

Aki's eyebrow naturally sprung up. "Is that right?" I can't say I blamed him, what with not really believing me. What person in their right mind would believe that kind of story? If I had been told that story back home, I would've laughed in their face and walked away. "Itachi. He had a picture. And I was in it. I was still a kid. That's what we were talking about."

"So Itachi knows then. About 'this'?"

"No!" I quickly objected. My voice slightly echoed back to me. Telling me I really needed to lower my voice. "No. I don't really think he should know."

A silence fell between us. I wasn't sure if I should interrupt or say something. Stay quiet or try and explain yet. Truth be told I felt better. Even if he didn't believe me, I was glad I got it partly off of my chest. "He will find out."

"Hmm?"

My eyes were out of focus, making Aki's smirk faded and somewhat twisted. "Itachi." With that named my eyes blinked back into focus. Aki wiped his hands over his apron. He began pacing back to his cave- I mean kitchen. "The man is far from naive or dense. He will find out. If he doesn't already know."

The farther he got from me the less I could hear. After saying how dense Itachi was, I couldn't make out a word. "Aki, what are you talking about?"

He looked out over the glass gallery and over at me. He was smiling a smile I really didn't enjoy. A smile that ran a cold chill through my body. I think I would've felt better about the way he looked at me if he had said something afterwards. But he didn't. He just smiled and went on about his ways. Not mentioning a word about staying quiet about my whole ordeal.

I blinked at the baker as he disappeared once again. Not too long afterwards a hurrying Hikaru flew out after him. I was still in a sort of daze when he jumped into my arms.

He was prattling on about something, but I wasn't paying too much attention to the details. I just kept running my hand over his head. Not so much to put him at ease. No. It was more for my own nerves.

What the hell happens now?

* * *

**Bahhh! Sorry for being so late! And so short! I really rushed this chapter, so I don't particularly like it. Even though it was supposed to be one of the good chapters, it ended being 'Blechhh.' It didn't help that I've been in a little plot hole lately. So you know, any chapter/plot ideas, I would really appreciate right about now. Review to show some love!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"Is he a nice kid? Does he have lots of toys? Is he older than me? Or younger? Do you think he-"

"Hikaru!" I finally interrupted the ranting child. I softened my voice. "I don't know, hun."

The last time I had been in the market, the woman from the stand, now known as Mrs. Hanau, had accomplished in sucking me into bringing Hikaru to play with her son. I would've refused but she had just given me a bunch of free stuff. Also I felt bad. Hikaru is always cooped up inside the bakery. Never getting out like a growing boy should.

Damn, I'm starting to sound more like a mother.

I lifted the small boy into my arms as I shoved through the main stream of people. He always got mad about this, saying that I treat him like a baby, but I know that the moment that I let him go through on his one he will get trampled! It had become a lot easier to get through the crowd. Each time I learned that more and more force was necessary to get through. It isn't rude. More like learned people skills.

On his own Hikaru had probably been all through out the small metropolis, so I was a bit worried about saying that he was my child. That's why I extensively questioned him about where he'd been before I left the safety of our bakery. I mean Aki's bakery.

"My mother was really sick, so we didn't really go out too much. We moved here after my father died when I was little. I don't even remember him." Hikaru used to be really touchy on the subject of his mother, but he was then saying it with ease, as if his dead mother was an everyday subject. Of course that was the first time he had ever mentioned his father to me.

After that I felt a lot better about taking him on his play-date. Especially when Aki started acting up. Stomping around calling me lazy. Who did he think he was?

I had been making an effort to be on my best behavior around Aki. That is since we had our little discussion. We didn't tell Hikaru about any of it, mainly because he'd probably prattle on about it to every one. Most importantly Itachi. I don't really know why I didn't want Itachi knowing, but I just didn't.

"Can you put me down now?" Hikaru began squirming out of my arms as I realized we were long since out of the crowd.

He jumped out of my arms, almost instantly snatching up my hand again. We rounded the turn into the my favorite market place and I stopped. "Hikaru." I said gravely. Hikaru looked up at me not worried about my tone of voice. "If they ask you any questions about me, just say that I'm your mother okay?" It could've been more than enough trouble if it was found out I wasn't Hikaru's mom.

Hikaru smiled and nodded before he got an utterly befuddled expression. "What if they ask about my father?"

I blinked down at him. I hadn't really thought about that one. "Well- just be creative then I guess." That part didn't really matter. No one would catch me with a man anyways, at least in this place.

We walked around the woman's front kiosk and into her building. It smelled strangely of ginger and fruit. Not surprisingly though, it was a motherly smell. "Mrs. Hanau?"

I almost called her name for a second time, except the bustling woman showed around a corner. "I told you! Call me Mizu!" She came at me with a large hug. By large I mean large for her size. She was a relatively thin woman to be perfectly honest.

"Sorry, Mizu." I grinned apologetically as I patted her back, the international sign for 'Let go!' Though, don't want to offend the woman who gives me free food.

Mizu pushed out of our embrace. "Now where's the little one?" She swung her head looking all over, except looking down. She didn't look down.

Hikaru hesitantly slid out in front of me. He pulled at the end of Mizu's skirt. The woman almost jumped. Until she saw Hikaru at her feet. Then her face lit up. "Oh my! He's so big!" Without permission or delay she swept him up onto her hip. "How old are you lil' boy?"

Hikaru's face started blazing up a fire. "S-Seven."

Her eyes blinked quickly before she looked at me. "You really are a young mother then!" My face paled. I wasn't even out of my teenage years and I had a seven year old? I didn't even have an alibi for this!

"Well… you see-" My voice cracked and hid in my throat as I tried to make an acceptable excuse.

"Oh, don't you worry! No judging here!" Mizu winked at me and started walking away. All the while still holding my child. I mean holding Hikaru.

"Mizu where are you going?" I started after her but she turned back around.

Her face was stern and determined. A scary sight for a mother's face to behold. "Now you listen here." She switched Hikaru onto a more comfortable hip before continuing. "A girl your age should be out painting the town red! Not doting on a toddler all the time. So go! Have some fun!" I didn't have another word in the say so. Mizu just pushed me out of her home and shut the door behind me.

Painting the town red? Who says that? I stood at her doorstep with my lips pursed. First things first. I hopped off of her doorstep and got out of the market street. It was nice. No grocery list to follow or Hikaru to watch. I had expected to stay at Mizu's and watch over Hikaru so I hadn't worn my apron. To the plain eye I just looked like normal teenage girl. _Keep dreaming, honey._ I sighed. I wasn't normal here. In fact I wasn't really normal until I get home. "Keep dreaming." The chances of me getting home were pretty slim. They'd be better but I had no clue of how on earth to even attempt to get home.

I started wondering around the town. The whole month that I'd been here I hadn't really seen any of the town. Not the shopping district or the streets that were purely for living. They were wonderful. Something that I really couldn't have imagined. But this town had succeeded in giving me more than enough surprises. So it shouldn't have shocked me too much.

After awhile I found the outskirts of town. That being the front gate. It smelled slightly less 'fragrant' than the town behind me. It was weird. The sky itself was absolutely vibrant, and yet the trees managed to cancel all but a little of the light. Then there was the path. It went for awhile back, though I couldn't make it all out. It was like it was sucking back farther and father into the forest, blackening in the distance. Actually… then again everything was blackening, not just the path. It was all going dark.

"Taylor?"

Light came at me from all angles at once. At first it was too much light than I could bear. My eyelids fluttered open and shut trying to help me adjust. A figure appeared over me, blocking out most of the blinding lights.

"Taylor." His voice was familiar and alarmed. It didn't take too long for me to recognize who it was. It was my Dad's.

My hands reached up to the figure, at first missing. They grabbed my directionless hands and guided them to what I'm sure was their face. It was smooth, Dad must've shaved recently. "Taylor." His voice had a little less fright in it. I took hold of Dad's neck quickly burying my face into his neck.

His body tensed up. "I missed you so much." I nearly began sobbing into him. Soon after, Dad's collar started agitating my face, which was weird because Dad almost never wore shirts with collars. Especially ones that were that severely high. Not to mention he didn't smell like cigarette smoke and cologne. More like a camp fire and something else I couldn't place.

I pulled my face away from my father. "Dad?" But it wasn't my dad. His hair wasn't balding, no it was quite full and in fact slicked back. The reason why his chin seemed so smooth was because this person didn't seem to have even the slightest stubble. No, this wasn't Dad at all.

"Taylor, you okay?"

I blinked several times. "Hidan?"

His eyebrows pulled together. "What the fuck are you doing all they way out here?" I stared at him for a little while, wondering in fact what he was even talking about.

Taking a look around I noticed that it was pretty odd. I was at the town's front gate, and apparently on the gritty ground at that. "Um, bird watching?"

"With your face in the ground?" He growled out dangerously.

"Who is this?" A voice sounded from behind Hidan's face. It was then that I became conscious of how close Hidan's face was too mine and the reason he was so close being my arms were entangled around his neck.

Trying to conceal my embarrassment I shoved Hidan away. He fell back onto evidently his ass with how he made an awkward yowl. Behind him was a masked man. In one hand was a suitcase, in the other- well I couldn't see the other. This man was definitely-

"Kakuzu, you bastard!" Hidan swung at his partner blindly. "You saw me falling! Why didn't you catch me!" Of course Kakuzu was too busy staring me down to answer his uncomplimentary counterpart still sitting at his feet.

Quickly I stood and brushed myself off. He was certainly fear-provoking, it was quite impressive. I smiled composedly. His eyes, the only part I could see of him, narrowed at me. "Hello."

"Hi there." I reached my hand across to the tall man. "My name is Taylor."

"So I have heard." For a second all he did was glare at me, as if he was deciding whether to loathe my existence or not. Eventually he took my hand giving it a firm shake. "I'm this idiot's partner, Kakuzu." He nodded his head in Hidan's general direction.

"Pleasure to meet you." I started pulling out all the politest things I could think of.

Usually people would reply with a 'the pleasure is all mine!' Did he? 'Course not! "Hn."

"Hey, fuckfaces!" A hand grabbed my ankle, making me instinctively want to kick, which I did. I'll spare you the details about my extremely frightened squeal and skip right to the part where Hidan was trying to fix his freshly bleeding nose.

Kakuzu peered up Hidan's bloody nostrils. "Well," He stepped away from the groaning man. "It isn't broken from what I can tell."

Hidan slightly cocked his head to look at Kakuzu sideways. "Why d'ya say tha?" His voice was extremely nasally.

"Your nose isn't any more crooked than it already was."

"Muh nose izn' fuckin crook'd! It'z damn straight an fuckin purfict, ya shithead!" Hidan's uncensored words practically screwed me in the ear.

I held back the urge to smack him upside the head and settled for a better option. "It is a pretty nice nose." I muttered. Both men turned and just about gawked at me. "What?"

"Di' ya jus' compl'men meh?"

My face reddened more than I had wanted it to. "What about it?" I snapped suddenly.

Hidan lowered his head, neglecting his threatening-to-bleed-again nose, to look at me properly. His partner on the other hand took a look around and then back at Hidan. "Now that that's settled let's get back to heading back." The Jashinist in our little triangle obviously had some protests about this. He turned to start a ferocious spat but he was faced with Kakuzu's palm.

From what I could tell by his eyes, Kakuzu looked fed up and frankly tired as hell. "Just-" His voice sounded that of a regretful parent. "_Try_ to keep your wallet closed."

Hidan's face lit up. "I knoo ya were a goo' guy, Kakuzoo!" His abrupt cheeriness quite irked me. To the point where I smacked him in the first place I could reach, sadly only his arm.

I threw a wiry smile at Kakuzu. "He won't spend any money, I promise."

Kakuzu gave me the courtesy of actually turning to look at me. You know, instead of that out-of-the-corner-of-your-eye crap. He seemed to sigh with relief. "I trust you'll keep your word, Miss." I was kind of taken back by the 'Miss', but hey, I took it as praise, considering who said it.

It turns out that the giant scythe, that had previously been an aide in trying to kill me, had been on the ground beside us all along. Hidan passed it off to Kakuzu to take back to wherever he was going, and with that Kakuzu was gone.

I turned back to Hidan who was cross-eyed trying to examine his nose. A pang of guilt hit my stomach. "Hidan, I am so sorry."

He gave me a sharp look. "You better be. This is the face of an angel!" It couldn't have been so bad, his voice was back to normal. I started back towards town.

Hidan quickly caught up with me. "So where do you want to go?" I shrugged. Where was there to go? I couldn't go too far with the factor of Hikaru, and there wasn't that much in town to be honest. Out of my peripheral vision, I could see Hidan making weird movements with his mouth. "You don't have anywhere to be?"

Pulling my hair over all onto one shoulder I snorted. "I'm free for the next couple hours, if that's what you're getting at." If I was right, I hadn't been out cold for more than fifteen minutes. Giving me plenty of time to kill.

The look that came over Hidan's face, well I'm not sure if it was adorable or absolutely fear-installing. "Well then, follow me." With out any permission he grabbed my wrist and started yanking me through the streets.

I could hardly keep up with him. Luckily he stayed away from largely crowded areas. Even if we had gone through populated areas I'm sure it wouldn't have been any problem. He was sporting that infamous 'scary' cloak. Any sensible person wouldn't even come within twenty feet of him. No surprise that I wasn't included in the 'sensible' category. Here I was running around with him. Hand in hand. With Hidan.

It came to me all the times that I had nearly died fantasizing about scenes like this. I had been such a giddy fangirl… Being so caught up in reminiscing about past fantasies I hardly noticed Hidan pushing us through rough, bushy path.

I did notice though when a sound of rushing water came. Looking up from Hidan and I's clasped hands I was suddenly astonished. Some how Hidan had taken us both to a green wonderland. It was probably the size of a small backyard, but it was so lush. At the edge, right before it ran into a series of trees, there was a small stream. In the distance I could hear a waterfall. My feet sunk into the thick grass beneath me. "Oh my…" It was as if someone had punched me in the gut. "Hidan, where did you-"

The immortal nin dropped my hand. "It's not too far from town, so don't worry about getting back on time."

"Did you find this place?" I walk up to his side.

Hidan ran a hand over his head. "Yeah, it's the only damn place I can get some fucking peace and quiet!" There he went with his language.

_Hard ass._ I slipped my shoes off and dropped them in the middle of the grassy patch. The grass was even softer bare footed. Tip-toeing over to the stream I sat at the bank, letting my feet dunk themselves into the cold water. "What are you doing?"

I looked over my shoulder, sure enough there stood Hidan looking at me as if I was breast feeding in public. "Sitting, what does it look like?" With a roll of his mauve eyes Hidan plopped down beside me, making sure to keep his feet a safe distance away from the water.

A bloated silence sifted between us. Not the awkward kind, more like one where you're trying to decide what the other is thinking. He wasn't looking at me, which meant that there was still a possibility that he wasn't thinking of me. Maybe he was thinking of Kakuzu, or cake, or… his mom? I bit my lip. Or his religion. Mainly speaking towards his sacrifices.

I stole a glance at Hidan. He had taken his cloak off and was just sitting there, looking as bored as ever, watching the water. My toes curled. His mouth squirmed. He was trying not to say something. Didn't last too long. "You know…" His voice did a little loop-de-doop through the air.

Hidan swung his head fully in my direction. "That we're Akatsuki, right?" I blinked back at him. Had I not established that before? "I mean," He rolled his hand towards me, as if trying to make me comprehend the thoughts that he himself didn't. "You- you're just- just a girl. Normal girls don't just-_ saunter off!- _with some guy they hardly know!" His neck went straight in something like detest. "And an S-rank criminal at that!"

My eyes narrowed on their own, my lips pursing to the side. I wasn't sure if he was complementing me or just rambling off on some kind higgledy-piggledy thought out loud. But it really sounded like an insult to me.

_Well if you want to play it that way…_ "Well normal _men_ don't just become S-ranked criminals either!"

Now it was time for his angry face. It was pretty amusing looking, I'm not going to lie. "I never said I was normal!"

"Join the club!" My voice elevated another level. It was then that I become conscious of that fact that we were practically standing each other off. Of course, since he had about twelve inches on me, I didn't really hold a candle in the intimidation factor. But him showing off his fabulously chiseled chest just made him send off more of a 'screw-me' vibe then a 'fear-me' one.

Did you ever have that moment of 'How the hell did I get here?' Maybe you had a conversation that took an unexpected turn and you went from talking about your grades to your crazy Aunt Marie in Georgia. That was one of those moments. Since when was I the type of person to even try and offend someone. Especially if that someone is a known madman!

The only thing that could've possibly been a catalyst that I could think of was; Aki's water. If something went wrong, there is _always_ something in the water. 98.3% of the time that is.

Hidan pushed his hand in my face, causing me to fall backwards. "You take things too seriously."

My hand slipped into the small creek's bank, getting me muddy up to my elbow. I prevented any further muddying by quickly yanking my arm back out. Staring at the globs of chilled mud Hidan started to laugh. Apparently him shoving me into mud was the most hilarious thing he'd seen all day. Vexed even farther I scraped the mud into my former clean hand, balling it up in the approved manner. You'd think that in the previous events someone would be more paranoid about my actions. In this case, no. Because _someone_ was too busy laughing his ass off at other people's misfortune.

In other words I completely blind-sided him with mud to the face. He shut up pretty quickly after that. Through all of the mud sliding down his face I could barely make out the nasty look he was trying to kill me with. "Why, Hidan! I've never seen you look so good!" I feigned the perfect amount of sincerity just to send Hidan tumbling over the top.

Turning to wash myself clean with my newly satisfied pride I bent towards the stream. Of course my whole body plummeting into the brook was not by my own means. That was caused by the self-redeeming asshole standing on the bank. Balancing myself in the deepest end of the creek, which in itself was only like two feet, I raised an apologetic hand to Hidan. We both knew this was childish.

And frankly I didn't care.

Hidan quirked an eyebrow as he warily took my hand. Not warily enough because I yanked him into the water with me. Classically the oldest trick in the book.

"You bitch!" Hidan tried to keep steady as his feet struggled to find footing on the slimy rocks beneath him. "This is freezing!"

"No shit, Sherlock!" I giggled as I sent a splash of water at him.

He gave me a confused look before plunging backwards. There seemed to be a lot of falling in the last five minutes. Slowly he lifted his upper body from the water. His hair was no longer neatly slicked back. Stray hairs refused to stay back and fell into his face.

With care I slid myself across the rocks and over to him. "Now, promise me you won't pull me in, push me under, or get me any dirtier and I might think of possibly helping you up." I cocked a smirk and lent out a hand.

I could see Hidan tightly grinding his teeth. He smacked my hand out of his way and stood up without falter, making the extra foot he had over me all the more noticeable again.

Hidan shoved his way out of the running brook and back onto dry land. He thrust his head back and, with duel hand action, slicked his hair back into place. The way he was stretching himself out was awe inspiring enough, it didn't help that by chance a small gleam light was hitting him in all the right places.

"What?" Hidan suddenly snapped. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

Nervously I blinked up at him. I was caught red handed. "It's just-"

He quickly gave himself an over look. _Good luck living this one down._ "What, my pendent?" He plucked his pendent between his index and thumb finger.

"Yeah!" I rubbed the back of my neck. "I just really like it." Hidan dazed off as he stared down at the pendent.

Quickly, the drying man narrowed his eyes at me. "Why are you still standing in the water." As I looked down at the stream as if to check it out for myself he just kept nagging. "Get the hell out of there. You'll catch a damned cold!"

I trudged as fast as I could out of the water. It was true, I was near freezing by now. "Here." Hidan held out his cloak to me. I just eyed it.

"What?"

"Well!" He shook it at me. "Take it!" Not sure what to do with it afterwards, I grabbed it from him. "Now go change." He threw his head towards the bordering trees.

My head shot upwards. "What?"

He jabbed a finger into my forehead. "If you stay in your own clothes you will get sick. Now," Hidan leaned inwards threateningly, "Go change."

Almost appalled I stared at him. He expected me to change with _him_ as the vigilant?

Somehow I found myself behind a tree hand peeling my wet clothes off. My panties, bra and camisole had weathered through the best of it, and I figured they were better than nothing at all. Without hesitation I threw Hidan's generously portioned cloak over myself, zipping it up to my collarbones. Some thing fell out of the pocket. Picking it up I flipped it around in my hand. An extra pendent? How religious can a person be?

I searched for the pocket it had come from, but all the material seemed to fit together. Placing it over my pile of soggy clothes I scooted out from the trees. Hidan had his back turned towards me. Pretty much mortified I tapped him on his shoulder.

I was met with a mischievous smile. It didn't last to long when he saw that my pile of clothes didn't include any panties or bras.

He rolled his eyes. "Prude."

"Pervert."

I looked back down at the extra pendent. "Oh, Hidan. By the way." I lifted it into my hand. "This fell out."

Almost not sure I was talking about Hidan took another look at the item in my hand. Two small patches of pink arose on Hidan's cheeks. He snatched out of my hands. "It's nothing!" He spun on his heels and started stalking out of the little green paradise

"Hey!" I jogged to keep up with him. "What's wrong? Is it for someone or some thing like that?" I probably wouldn't have figured it out, but the way Hidan's body jolted when I said that, it told me all I needed to know. I put a little more speed into my pace and got to Hidan's side. He was clutching it so hard that his knuckles were white. "Hidan! Give that to me!" I lurched out to grab at it but he yanked it farther away.

I looked up at his face. It was much less calm and collected then it was. No, he looked thoroughly frustrated and flustered. He kept a steady angry pace, making sure I kept close enough to see where he was going. He didn't let up until I could see the town again. We were pretty much back in town when he finally stopped.

"Here!" He flung the necklace at me. By the sheer will of God I caught it, still keeping a hold of my clothes. "I got this for you on my last mission!"

I looked down at the pendent. It wasn't a cute little heart, or romantic symbol of some sorts. No just a plain old Jashinist's pendent. "I don't understand." I murmured.

Hidan let out an exasperated sound. He flipped it over in my hand. "We were by one of the major Jashinist temples and had it blessed by one of the priests." He said it all in nearly one breath. "You hadn't been wearing yours since I first saw you, so I figured you wanted a new one."

When his finger left the silver piece in my hand I could make out small inscriptions. I don't know what they said, because they were in some language that I had never seen. Beside the inscription was a small cloud, much like the ones on his cloak.

"It's a protective prayer." He explained. "It's written in a language only the highest priests are allowed to write in." He gave me a smile that was barely there. He ran his finger over to the cloud. "And that's the Akatsuki symbol. I had him add it just for safe measures."

I just kept staring at it with my mouth hanging open. "Oh my- Hidan. I don't know- It's really." After fumbling around with my words long enough, I smiled up at him. "Thank you. I love it."

Hidan scratched his neck. "Yeah well you better be grateful. That cost me most of my commission from that mission, so I better so you wearing it."

I'm sure he meant it to sound like a threat, but that was a fail. I clipped the pendent around my neck to put him at ease. So much for the sweet shy Hidan from a couple moments to go.

We ventured into town in silence. Neither one of us tried to make conversation. It was like we were content with leaving the day at what it was. I kept glancing down at my new accessory. It really was nice. And much heavier than my knock-off Jashinist necklace.

At the street before Miku's house. I turned to Hidan. My clothes had pretty much dried off so I slipped them back on, afterwards granting Hidan his cloak again.

We stood there for a second just staring at each other. "Well." I pointed over my shoulder. "I've gotta go."

Hidan seemed to jump out of a trance. "Yeah, my asshole partner is going to have my ass on a silver platter if I don't get back soon."

I giggled at his blatant rudeness about his partner. "Okay." Step backwards. "Bye then." Not letting myself dilly-dally any longer I turned sharply away and bee lined for Miku's house.

Naturally I did look at least once more over my shoulder. Hidan was walking off, fussing with getting his hand through a sleeve hole. I clutched my new pendent as I watched him go. My stomach gripped.

Oh, yeah. I could definitely get used to him.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Hikaru came running out from around a corner with a tall boy and young girl. They were giggling and carrying on with their fun.

"They were just adorable." Miku's eyes were misty as she watched them all rough house. She took a pleased deep breath and turned her attention back to me. Her eyes ran over my semi-soggy clothes and damp hair. "Now what were you up to?"

I gave her a generous shrug. "Took a shower."

She seemed to not be buying it fully. "With your clothes still on?

And I didn't care. "Painting the town red and all." It was my turn for a satisfied sigh. I had to admit, it really was a pretty great day.

Miku crossed her arms, leaning a hip against her stove. "With whom, may I ask?"

I pretended to come out of a daze. "I'm sorry, what?" Of course as a mother she was anything but fooled.

"Come on, fess up. Who is he?"

I bit my lip thinking hard on how to word it correctly. She probably wanted to hear that it was Hikaru's father, so that was what I was going to tell her. Playing the part, I twirled my finger in a lock of my hair. "Well…" I drew out the first word. "I was out with Hikaru's dad."

"Oh," She clasped her hands together, failing to cover her shock. "Isn't that sweet." I rolled my eyes in a bashful manner. Miku started to talk about her own husband and how he was such a rebel when they were younger. It was kind of amazing to see that someone could still feel romantically attached to another person even after having two children. I let her go on for awhile until Hikaru came running through the kitchen again. At that point I stopped listening to her and grabbed him by his arm.

He was huffing and puffing from playing so much, and his bouncy expression seemed to liven him up more than usual. "Oh, Tay-" I cut him off with a squeeze of the arm. "Mom. Oh, Mom! When did you get here?"

I let go of Hikaru and bent down so that I was eye-level with him. "I just got here not too long ago. Ready to go?"

Hikaru made an angry pout but let it go after a moments delay. "Fine." He let out a large heave. "I'm going to go say bye to-" His eyes went from my own to what was around my neck. He reached out and took hold of my new pendent. "What's this?"

I looked down at it as it laid in his hand. "It was a gift.

He just kept staring at it for the longest time. His thumb traced the triangle lightly. "It was from him, wasn't it?" He let the necklace come back and drop to my chest. Hikaru wasn't a dumb kid, I wouldn't be surprised if he linked the Jashinist symbol with Hidan. Hikaru looked down at the floor.

"Hikaru, what's the matter?" I reached my hand out to him, but he jerked away. "Hika-"

He suddenly burst out. "You were with _him?_ I _hate_ him!" Hikaru had had bad feelings toward Hidan ever since our first incident at the bakery. I guess he just saw Hidan as the ultimate bad person.

Miku stepped forward in my defense. "Hikaru, you shouldn't talk about your father that way!"

"No!" Hikaru shook his head so hard, as if trying to rebuke what she had said. "He is _not_ my father!" Before either of us could get another word in edge wise, he bolted out of the kitchen and out the door.

I quickly thanked Miku for everything as I rushed out the door after him. In the street I caught one glimpse of him before he disappeared into a crowd. It was rush hour right about then and everyone was everywhere, making it all the harder to locate him.

"Hikaru!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. I tried to trace the sudden shoved out of place person to Hikaru, but he was just too short, and everyone was too tall. Luckily I heard some person grumbling about a rude little boy and looked in the general direction of which they were speaking. On the outskirts of the crowd a little figure popped out and made another break for it.

With the people in a hurry to get to where they were going, it was hard for me to get around them. It was a lot easier though when over everything I heard a ear shattering scream. Hikaru's ear shattering scream to be specific. "Hikaru!" I yelled in attempts to let out some nervous energy.

I took off as soon as I was free from the crowd. Only, my sprint didn't last too long. Standing a ways down the street was a small group of people. In one of those people's arms was the child in question. "Is this _your_ child?" One of them asked, obviously dumbfounded. My mouth opened, but no words came out. It wasn't because Hikaru was in the arms of strangers. It was the strangers themselves that had me speechless. Except they weren't strangers really, maybe I was to them, but I most certainly knew who they were. The orange protagonist gave them away.

Suddenly aware of my obvious brainless expression, I brought out my smile. "Yeah, he is. Sorry about this."

"Oh, it was no problem." The pink headed girl smiled back. Sakura. "We were just worried that he was lost."

I ran my hand over my ponytail. "No, we just got in a little fight and he ran off. That's all."

"Wait, he's not _really_ your kid, is he?" Naruto finally burst out.

"Naruto." Sakura growled chastisement. Sai stood silent with an amused smile on his pale complexion.

As if that would offend me by now. I giggled a fake laugh to try and reassure them. "No, he's not."

Naruto threw his hands behind his head. "I mean… I was gonna say."

The teacher of the two, who was still holding on to Hikaru, seemed to be watching me closely. Not in a judgmental way, or a perverted sense. No it was like he was studying me. Trying to ignore his stare, I gave a shallow bow. "My name is Taylor. Thank you for finding Hikaru."

Kakashi let Hikaru back onto his feet. With a another nudge, courtesy of Kakashi, Hikaru reluctantly came to my side. I bit my tongue from lashing out on him right there and then, seeing as how there were vigilantes in my presence. "Well," I clasped my hands together. "What an incredibly busy day for us. Thank you again, but we really have to be going." I started to guide Hikaru away with my hand on his back.

"How rude of us." Kakashi stopped me. "We didn't even introduce ourselves!" He extended his hand to me. "I'm Kakashi Hatake. Sorry, but I didn't _quite_ catch your name."

Perfectly hiding my reluctance I took his hand. "Oh no worries, my name is Taylor. Nice to meet you."

Kakashi turned to his cell, giving them a lazily expecting look.

Sakura clasped her hands behind her back in attempts to be cute. "I'm Sakura Haruno."

"Naruto Uzumaki! Nice to meetcha!" Naruto's introduction kind of felt like he was introducing himself to a drill sergeant. Then of course there was Sai. With his blasé tone and fake smile it was hard to not deck him right away.

With that all said and done I started to back away again. It wasn't that I didn't want meet the whole crew, but truth be told with the company I kept… well matters could've crashed and burned in the matter of minutes. "Hikaru," I beamed down at the boy beside me. "Didn't Aki want us to get some groceries while I was out.

Hikaru by now saw through my fake attitude, and was still obviously displeased with me. "Nope." My eyes widened. He almost never said no to me like that. "He said he doesn't need us back causing a scene at the bakery until he closes up today."

Of course I already knew that, I was just looking for an excuse to get as far away from the Konoha shinobi as fast as possible.

Naruto cocked his head to the side. "Wellll, where do you have to be that you're in such a hurry?" I blinked at Naruto. Wasn't he supposed to be the dense one that never knew what was going on?

I licked my lips. "It's just that I can see your all shinobi, so I'm sure you have a very important mission you have to-"

"Not at all." Kakashi butted in. "In fact," He placed his hands on his hips. "Our mission has been completed. So we'd love to see this bakery you're talking about before we head out."

"Y-Yeah, sure." I nearly choked on the air I was breathing as the whole group agreed. I glanced down at Hikaru who had his arms crossed and an angry pout on his face. _Really, God? Do you want me to make me miserable?_

I lead the whole of them through the long way, trying to think of excuses why we couldn't take them. When none-such came about and I had to face the facts, I was already standing in the bakery. Aki was handing off a box of doughnuts to an elderly woman before he noticed us. His eyes skim over the group behind me before scowling at me. I already could tell what he was thinking-

"What the hell are you thinking?" Aki hissed at me as I dried my hair off. I had went upstairs to change and dry off completely as everyone took a look at the glass gallery.

Throwing the towel on my bed I turned back to Aki. "What was I supposed to do? They wouldn't leave me be!" Aki began pacing through my bedroom in a very frantic manner. "Aki, listen they'll be in and they'll be out. No big deal." I attempted to walk around him but he yanked me back.

"If you knew about the Akatsuki from where ever you came from, then you should know about those people too!" When I didn't answer him Aki continued on his with rant. "They aren't as stupid as they let on, Taylor! They probably know affiliate with the Akatsuki! That's why they are here!"

I pulled from Aki's grip. To think that Aki was getting so worked up over such a matter. "Aki," I practically scoffed. "What are they going to do? Kill us for selling doughnuts? It's your living. Frankly all they have to know is that money is money." Repositioning myself behind him I started giving him little nudges towards the stairs.

Really? I rolled my eyes at the thought of having Naruto at my throat. Worse comes to worst all I'd have to do is pull the 'I think I know something about Sasuke' card and he'd be putty in my hands. Tying my green apron around my body I appeared back in to the shop. They were all just standing around. Hikaru stood peering out from around the counter, apparently hiding.

"Hikaru." I whispered, making him jolt. He didn't turn around though, he was giving me the cold shoulder. The more I thought about it, the more it was weird that Hikaru didn't like Hidan. I mean, other than the fact that Hidan had, to all intents and purposes, sexually harassed me in front of Hikaru, there was really no other reason I could think of for Hikaru's behavior.

Pulling my attention away from Hikaru I looked over at Naruto. He was practically trying to reach through the glass. "See something?" Seemingly shocked, Naruto backed off quickly.

"Nothing really." There was nothing similar to joking in his voice though. In fact the atmosphere in the whole shop was pretty freaky.

"Taylor." Kakashi called out. "That's your name, isn't it?"

That was the second time he had asked me. By that time I was finally catching some suspicion. As Aki said, they weren't as stupid as they let on. I put my hands on the counter. "Listen, if you aren't going to-"

"That's an awfully unique name." Kakashi pressed further. My eyes ran over his teammates in the background. They were remaining motionless with all eyes on me. Again I didn't answer, they were probably going to come out with their motives anyways. So why even bother? "I'm sure I've only heard that name one other time."

My eyes narrowed. That was impossible. No one in this whole reality had a name like my name. I had been the only 'Taylor' in this world, ever. There's no way he had known a different Taylor… When my mind caught up with the situation I was confused on how to react. Was that a good thing or bad?

"The last time I saw you, you weren't nearly as tall." I'm sure he meant to give some comical relief in that comment, but it kind only made him seem creepy.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Naruto's face seemed to flinch with some kind of emotion as I said it. It wasn't completely dishonest, I wasn't completely on track with everything. For all I knew he could've been on two entirely different subjects.

The white haired sensei sighed. "I suppose I will have to be totally to the point." Kakashi pointedly looked at me. I knew exactly what he was going to say before his lips even twitched to form his words. His face suddenly completely sobered up, pushing every ounce of danger into his expression. "I remember you from the Leaf Village, you had ties with the Uchiha Clan."

His words barely fazed me. Though, I really should've seen it coming from a mile away. I suddenly show up out of no where again and not expect to have every bit of trouble at my door step, well that was just plain idiotic.

I scoffed, "I have no idea what you are talking about." Again Naruto's body tensed.

"W-wait." Sakura pointed at me. "This is her? This is the girl?" At that point I put two and two together. Their mission was more to find me.

Sai finally put his two cents in. "Yes. She fits her the description perfectly." His eyes started to scrutinize me. "Blonde. Blue eyes. Odd name. Though they didn't add the part about her horrible acting skills." Insult to injury much?

"Excuse me?" I growled pushing past the counter. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

The blonde Uzumaki shoved back in front of me. "You know what it means! Don't play stupid with us!" He grabbed hold of me by the front of my clothes. "Where's the Akatsuki?"

I propelled him away from me as hard as I could. "How should I know! You all barge in here and start making accusations! Who do you think you are anyways?" My face was seething with rage. Because their stupid, but spot on, accusations were pushing my to my boiling point.

Kakashi stepped between the two of us. "Alright, how about we all take a deep breath?" My jaw clenched and released trying to personify the words that I was so dearly holding back. He turned back to me. "Listen, we aren't trying to push you into a corner. It's just that-"

"You used to be stuck like glue to Itachi." Naruto ground out. "It can't be by any chance that you pop back up and the Akatsuki start popping up like daisies." This time I genuinely cocked my head with confusion. Not for the fact of the Akatsuki sightings, I more or less did see that coming. No, it was the first thing he through in my face.

I looked from Naruto to Kakashi. They obviously had no mind of sympathizing with my befuddlement. It'd be like stabbing a dead body- no response. "I-I don't understand." Though I did remember bits and pieces of my stay at the Uchiha estate, I never remembered any thing about anyone else outside of that family. "Y-you knew me?"

"By no means." Kakashi picked at one of his pockets. His eyes adverted to Sakura and Naruto. "At least, I didn't."

With his eyes focused on his feet, Naruto mumbled out, "I remember you."

Sakura put a hand on Naruto's arm. "Itachi and Sasuke would bring you out to the playgrounds to play." She didn't even blink while saying their names, she wasn't as weak as I had first thought. "You kind of didn't stray too far from Itachi's side though." My heart was at a speed I didn't really enjoy by the end of her little story. I hadn't even noticed but my hands had begun to twiddle with a fold of my apron.

All the saliva in my mouth evaporated to God knows where. For some reason, having someone confirm Itachi and my's theory made me want to crawl into a fetal position and hyperventilate. "Say, this is all true." I almost whispered. "What do you want from me?"

"We want information on the Akatsuki." Naruto wasted no time getting to his point.

"Because of a couple questionable childhood events, you're going to connect me- eight years later- with Itachi and his group of psychotic criminal friends?" They all just stared at me as if to say 'well-yeah.' "I hate to disappoint but." I heaved my shoulders in one giant shrug. "I'm bone dry. In fact, it has been so long since I last saw the two Uchiha brothers, I barely remember them."

Everyone looked at each other. They were exchanging some kind of looks. Some kind of doubt racing between their electrons. A little tug pulled at my apron. Beside me was Hikaru, he motioned for me to come closer. Leaning down so my ear was mouth-level with him, Hikaru cupped his hands around my ear, "Why are you lying, about Itachi-san?"

I hesitated before pulling away. "Hikaru." I smiled. "Can you go ask Aki-san if he needs help?" The young boy stared at me before turning away. What a terrible example to set for a such a kid. Lie and then get rid of the evidence. Brushing away flour that was never there to begin with, I turned my attention back to the troublesome quartet.

It seemed as though they had just finished up a small discussion in the moments I was distracted. "You say that you haven't had contact with Itachi Uchiha since you were a small child, right?" Naruto crossed his arms. I nodded slowly.

"Then how did you know he was involved with in Akatsuki?" Sakura finished for him. My body froze.

I had screwed up. Mentally I kicked myself as my hands moved around trying to find something to occupy themselves with. For a while my mind was as blank as a fresh chalkboard, not sure what to do or what to say. I had obviously underestimated my opponents even when I tried not to. When I thought all was lost and my only option was to make a break for it, a loophole came upon me. "Itachi-san is in the Akatsuki?"

Kakashi sighed, obviously bored with my stupid-act. "Yes, and I presumed that you already understood this when saying 'his group of psychotic criminal friends.'"

My lip quivered out of instinct. "I didn't actually think that-" I stopped, quickly pulling together what was hopefully my best acting of my life. A nervous laugh wheezed out of me. "No, only murders and horribly heart-less criminals are in that thing. Itachi is none of those." I sounded as if I was pleading with them to tell me I was right. Some thing that a normal person in denial would be doing.

They all tensed up under my words. Sakura's eyebrows squirmed together and her face fell. "Taylor-san, Itachi… Itachi- well he-"

"He fits that to a T." Naruto snarled. "He killed his entire clan and left Sasuke to rot!"

It wasn't hard to feel the loath that echoed in Naruto's voice. Of course he would be mad. He didn't know the truth about what happened that night. None of them did. It was only natural to hate someone who has caused someone you care about to go through so much pain. My heart squeezed from guilt, I'm not sure why because I knew no one was really in the wrong.

Not me, not Naruto, not Kakashi and not Itachi. We were all just caught up in the sick psychotic thing called life. But of course I wasn't going to put some one that I cared about through the pain of being hunted down either. No matter how much I wanted to stop Naruto from looking so freaking upset.

I mean, not that I really, truly care about Itachi or anything. It would've just been incredibly rude of me to turn him in when he wasn't even at fault and especially after all he had done for me.

"Taylor-san." Kakashi's hand jerked me from my thoughts. When he assumed by the amount of blinking I was doing that I had successfully snapped out of my daydream he let go of my shoulder. "Apparently all of this is news to you, but all of what we are telling you is the truth. I apologize for lumping you in with associating with the Akatsuki. But I believe that it is crucial for me to mention that if any of them do decide to cause any trouble for you-" He paused quickly to stress his point. "Well the Leaf Village is always here to help."

For a moment I left my mouth hanging open before in a raspy whisper I answered, "Thank you." Before they all finally took their leave they picked out a collection of sweets for the trip home, which I assumed wasn't actually too far off. Guess I'd have to be more careful after knowing that.

When they were all gone and out of my hair I slid into a booth. Why did I just lie to a bunch of good guys for a couple of guys I wasn't even too sure about myself. I laid my head in my arms. I was never the type of person to take the blame for others, or even cover to for another person. It always just gave me another, larger head-ache further down the road. Even when my brother had obviously by accident prodded me with a lit sparkler when I ran into him, I made sure that he got the full responsibility.

The Akatsuki guys were nice, sure. But were they really worth putting myself under the microscope of the Leaf Village? I turned my head to the side, letting my new pendent fall into my line of vision. Hidan's loud rambunctious voice pounded through my thoughts, while the image of Itachi's barely-there smile challenged it. My stomach lurched against my own wishes.

I balled my hands into fists and released them repeatedly. I couldn't stop my heart from pumping a warm heat all over my body. Burying my face back into the safety of my arms I tried to take evened-out breathes in attempts to calm my heart from beating so fast and hard against my ribcage. Honestly.

First those two morons put me through what was practically living hell. What with chasing me down with a giant scythe and such. Now there was being interrogated by the famous Konoha cell 7. They really were crossing the boundaries I had perceptively put around myself over my short years.

My teeth scraped over my bottom lip to push back the smile I was hiding. Naturally that didn't work for too long. I guess I didn't mind letting the two of them into my own little world. It wasn't all that bad really, having someone forcefully making me friendly with them.

To be honest, I don't know why, but I was more than utterly satisfied with it. Maybe it was because no one had really cared enough to put me into some kind of awkward position just to be nice. Damn, they were turning me back into a nice person.

* * *

**Yes, I know. No Hi-kun or Itchy-chan in this chapter. Mahh, don't be mad. This chapter is a sentimental 'awh' chapter. 'Least that's what I was going for. Well review for love? :3**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

After the run in with Naruto and his groupies, Hikaru fixed his little attitude problem. He never did tell me what he was all hung up on. Frankly, I couldn't have cared less. Everyone has their days. Even eight year-old boys.

The next morning I drug myself out of bed, trying to stop myself from having one of 'those' days myself. With a quick shower and I was down the stairs. Hikaru flung out of Aki's room after me. I guess he had been waiting for me to wake up before he headed down too. On my way through the house I nearly passed by my apron without notice. I had been trying to make a specific point to turn putting my apron on, into it's own little habit.

Like clockwork Aki appeared with a tray of fresh out of the oven cupcakes. His soft scowl was hardened and vigorously focused on trying to find something. "Aki?" I was almost afraid to make myself known. Looking half-dazed Aki looked at me. "Looking for something?"

He bustled his hands through the air. "My oven mitts! Where did I put them?"

Hikaru muffled his giggles, for obvious reasons I assure you. See, flying through the air with Aki's angry hands were the mitts in question. I walked over to Aki, barely catching him on his little rampage. "Aki!" I snapped as kindly as possible.

"What?" He snapped right back. I jiggled his hand until he looked. His scowl disappeared with contact. "Oh." He breathed. Hanging from his eyes were heavy bags. They really didn't suit him. Some people can pull them off somehow or another, but not this man, he did better with a good night's sleep.

Behind the sinister baker was a assortment of new treats and finely decorated cakes. Not something that can be prepared in a short morning's time. I scooped my finger through a bowl of blue icing. "What time did you go to bed anyways?" I scraped the splotch of frosting into my mouth.

Not even really paying mind to me, Aki went back to his doings. "I didn't." Aki may be serious about his baking and such, but he always put himself over everything. Including his baking. So you can imagine my surprise when I heard that man saying such a thing.

"Why on Earth didn't you go to bed?"

Aki quickly side glanced me. He threw in a cup of sugar into his mixture. "Do you really not know?"

I interlocked my own arms while my eyebrows squeezed together. "How should I know?"

A slight breach of action raced over Aki. Before I knew it he was globbing spoon-fulls of what ever he was making onto a cookie sheet. "Well if you are honestly that oblivious I suppose I'll tell you." He stopped only to sprinkle a red substance over the small lumps and then shoved them into his oven. While using his apron as a hand towel he swiftly turned to me. "Tonight is the town's annual spring festival, which means we will actually have a lot of customers."

_Procrastinator._

"So that means you want me to run the register?" Aki stopped everything he was doing. My head slid back a notch. What had I said? Slowly, he turned his head so that he could show me his aghast expression properly.

"You?" His tone had a little laugh in it. "On the one night that I actually have a reputation to uphold?" Then he was back to work. "No, you can go do whatever there is to do. Just so long as you don't come around here with trouble, that is."

On instinct my lips made a pursed frown. That was definitely was an insult, no doubt about it. Knowing better, I let it go with a sigh. It wasn't such a bad idea actually. A night off on the town. "That would be pretty fun now that I think about it."

Hikaru started inhaling a large amount of air, like something had just dawned on him. "Do you think I could go to the festival with Ms Mizu and her family?" He clasped himself onto my leg. "Please?"

"It isn't really my decision. Mizu will be the who has to put up with you."

"Could we go ask her now?"

"Hikaru." I put my hands on my hips. "If we just got up, then they probably aren't up either." He didn't seem to understand though.

"Actually." Aki intervened on his own account. "You slept in for quite a while. A while being it is going on one in the afternoon."

Hikaru started pulling me towards the door. "C'mon, Taylor! We have to go see Ms Mizu!" I looked back at Aki for some sign that he would help me from going out into the world.

For an instant I thought he was actually going to speak up for me as he rooted through a drawer. "While you are out, Taylor." He tossed me a small bag of coins. "Go by a kimono for the festival tonight." I barely caught the heavy little bag as it flew towards me. My eyes widened as I looked back at Aki, but he already had his back towards me. There was no way out at that point.

For as small as Hikaru was, he sure had a bit of strength to him. He pulled me through all of the back paths and ally ways to make it to Mizu's house. I tried to memorize it for future references, so that I could escape going through the crowd of people I usually always do.

In the end it turned out that Mizu was more than willing to let Hikaru tag along with her and her family. And I was more than willing to let him enjoy himself with them until the festival while I went shopping. Which left me with no other choice than to go, what was pretty much, dress shopping.

The fact of the matter was that I really had no idea where to start. Kimono was like a robe. Robes are found in Bed, Bath and Beyond. And I don't think it's surprising when I say that I didn't even try to look for that. After what seemed like an hour of hunting down at least one kimono in a frustrated manner, I decided to take a break. Or in other words: I gave up.

I stood off to the side of the street I was on. With an actual look around I wondered what the hell I was actually doing where I was. Where I was to be exact was a street that was decked out with bulky men and weapons. In fact if you weren't a man that looked like he visited the gym every day, then he looked like a straight up psychopath. It made me slightly afraid to move, even though I knew I couldn't just stand there all day.

Taking a deep breath I pushed myself away from the fence I'd been leaning up against. I weaved behind a couple guys and tried to see was ahead. All I could see were a bunch of men. Then more men. Trying to be patient I just stayed with the steady pace of the people around me. At least I wasn't shoulder to shoulder with people. I bit my lip as I passed a fight between a store owner and an obviously dissatisfied customer. It made me feel even more uncomfortable then I already was. A snort sounded behind me. I ignored it until the person snorted again and tapped me on the shoulder.

I looked over my shoulder at yet another man. The movement in my legs instinctively picked up some speed. "Can I help you, sir?" He was a larger man with the junky tanned look to him. Someone who screamed Jersey-Shore-Fag.

A thumping hairy arm dropped around my shoulders. "Whatsa pretty little thing like you doin in a place like this?"

My eyes slightly narrowed. _Little? Tell that to my BMI._ "I'm just a little… off of direction." Covertly I made small attempts to get out of his grip. Except I slightly underestimated how heavy his limb really was.

Jersey Man's chest seemed to swell a tad bit. "How's about you lemme buy you a drink? Then we'll…" As his voice lowered in his ugly endeavor to be charming he pulled me closer. "Get you goin."

For a second I thought over what the possibilities were that they had some sort of Megan's Law where I was. Deciding that the law wasn't particularly on my side I ducked under and out of the man's grasp. "Sorry, but I'm a looking for someone." The first excuse that always pops into my head at moments like this.

He swung his big head around looking for where I had gone as I looked for routes to get away from him. Sadly, he spotted me before I had my chance. His bulky hand started reaching out for me again, causing me to make a sharp jerk backwards to make sure I was out of his reach. My back shoved into a large object. The large object, not to my amazement, was really a person.

Jersey Man's eyes squinted over my eyes before quickly flashing the whites of his eyes. "Taylor-chan?" A deep voice accompanied a hand that spun me around. A relieved smile escaped me as I laid my eyes on Kisame. He couldn't have had a better timing to just show up. Kisame with his killer stare glared over me at what I suspected was the dumbfounded Jersey Man. An almost creepy smile sparkled over his shark-like teeth. "This guy bothering you?"

I didn't have time to respond as Kisame's smile dropped. "There he goes." I twisted my head around to reassure myself that he really was gone. Which he was. Who wouldn't run if a man like Kisame looked as if he was going to dice you to pieces? A moron. That's who.

"Kisame." Itachi's voice drawled from behind the towering blue man. "What are you doing?"

"Oh." Kisame side stepped to reveal the small-in-comparison man. Kisame thwacked his large hand on my shoulder. "Taylor-chan here was having a small problem."

Itachi's eyebrow lifted ever slightly. "Problem?"

My face flushed. "It was nothing." I quickly interjected making them both to look at me abruptly. "Just a jerk."

"Well this place is full of his kind. Speaking of which- what are you doing here?"

A frown fell across my face. Yet another reason I should've stayed at the bakery. People just love out of the blue making me feel stupid. "I got a little lost."

They both stared at me for a moment before Kisame started bursting at the seems. "Got lost in your own territory, huh?" He began pounding his hand on me again, almost making me to loose my balance. Ever changing shades once again, my cheeks cranked up their color. "What on Earth were you looking for anyways?"

I enlaced my arms together as I muttered under my breath. "A kimono for the festival tonight." My hopes of Kisame keeping a straight face were quickly shattered.

Thankfully his laughing attack wasn't at the magnitude that the last one was. He shook his head. "You? In a kimono? You are one of the least girly girls I know. Of course I don't really know that many girls now a'days." He wiggled a finger towards his teeth. "I think it's the teeth, don't you?" _Or the blue skin. Of course it could be the absolutely fear installing sword and dark cloak you like to wear._

"Kisame-kun, I'm plenty girly!" My hands gripped my hips defensively.

His eyebrows slunk together in an amused fashion. "Oh yeah? Then how come you never let your hair down?"

I went to retort a snappy come back but I stopped. What did letting my hair down ever have to do with anything? I mean I never thought about it but I guess I did always keep my hair up. But how did that relate to my femininity or lack there of? Before I could come up with anything good to say a man yelled a number.

"That's me." Kisame looked over at Itachi. "Go on ahead, I'll catch up with you later." He threw me a smile, "Bye Taylor-chan."

"Don't mind him." Itachi started walking off in some unknown direction. Afraid of trying to be picked up again I caught up with him quickly.

"Where are you going now?"

He didn't even side glance me for acknowledgement. "You said you want to find a kimono, right?"

"Yeah…" I still didn't get where he was heading. Was he trying to get rid of me?

"Unless I show you, I'm sure you'll be wandering around every which way." I bit my lip. He was right too. I had no idea where to go at this point, especially since I didn't even know how I got to where I was. Not sure what else to say, I just shut up and let Itachi lead me.

Just as expected from a Uchiha prodigy Itachi new exactly what he was doing. He found a small shop that pretty much specialized in kimonos. I fumbled around with browsing, because yet again- I had no idea what I was doing. "Taylor." Itachi said from a few feet behind me. Hesitantly I turned around.

He stood there with a kimono over each arm. "Here." Itachi switched them over to my own arms. "Try these on."

I looked at each one not sure if they would even fit. Too embarrassed to admit that I wasn't really a size 2 girl I just nodded and enclosed myself in one of the dressing rooms. The first garment was red the other green. Each had some kind of underlying floral design. "Don't forget to show me how they look." Itachi's voice made it's way through the curtain door.

Meanwhile I was pulling the red robe up over my shoulders. "No way in hell, Itachi!" The robe ended somewhere between my knee and my ankle. Its cherry red color made the fading color in my face emphasized in a way I wish it didn't.

I felt terribly awkward standing in front of the mirror with my head tilted to the side. "Fine." I clenched my hands nervously. "I'm coming out." Really I just didn't want to look in the mirror for much longer.

Pulling the curtain back I found Itachi standing surprisingly only a couple feet away. His eyes ran over me, not giving so much of an approving nod or even an insulting quirk of the eyebrow. Nothing. Surely he didn't intend to be so inconsiderate, but man did he ever pull off the jerk-ish feeling. "I'm putting on the next one." I had to bite back the anger in my tone.

Behind the curtain I made sure I pulled the garment off with utter caution. God forbid I had to buy that awful colored thing. Red, just like Twizzlers, is absolutely disgusting. Dreadfully I picked up the green kimono. It was more of a natural color than the last one, or maybe it was just darker. Not too sure.

"Do you need help with the bow?" Itachi again butted in.

"No." I snorted. "What are you saying I'm not good at tying my own bow?" I can't really say that I was being sarcastic. I really did want to know what kind of message he was trying to send.

Unfolding the kimono I slunk into it, wiggling and dancing around in it so that maybe it would lay just right. There just wasn't something right. My hands fiddled with the sizable ribbon trying to make a nice tight bow. Once more my head was starting to cock to one side.

Suddenly the curtain slid to one side. Itachi of course being the catalyst. I jumped forward trying to find something that needed covered. "Itachi!" His hands overpowered my own, "What are you doing?" My voice shrieked through four octaves of horror film screams.

A quick tightening feeling looped over my midsection. "You needed help." I watched myself in the mirror, slightly impressed. The way it was hugging my hips, the thick ribbon accentuating my curves. Even the green looked nice on me. My eyes wandered over to Itachi, who was stilling standing behind me also examining my new reflection. Still not saying anything.

He in spite of everything his hands on the bow, his fingers lightly touching my back. Small sensations ran right through my body, pulling my stomach in every which way.

"I think I'll get his one." I finally said. Itachi's seemed to have a small jolt. He, regretfully, pulled his hands away almost hesitantly.

"Yes, good choice." I glared him down through the use of the mirror. Emotionally challenged jerk. Couldn't he tell when a girl wanted a simple compliment! It's elementary my dear Watson!

Switching balance from one foot to another, I impatiently waited for him to leave the area so that I could just take it off and buy the dumb thing. "Can you leave already?"

I started flattening the fabric of the kimono, waiting for Itachi to leave. Actually, no. I was waiting for him to say something. To ask me why I was or even seemed upset. Like any normal guy should. Instead Itachi, being the polite and stoic man he is, just turns and walk out of the small dressing room.

Without Itachi standing behind me, I felt a little less proud of the girl in the mirror. She didn't have the same confidence like she did before. Of course that could have just been my overdrinking things once again.

There was only one woman at the cash register. And I was pretty sure she was the only person in the whole store. She completely pulled off the overly-peppy-to-be-alive cashier act. The kimono was put in a surprisingly small bag. Sliding my purchase across the counter, the woman gave me another one of her ear-to-ear smiles. "I'm sure you're boyfriend will love it." I could have just presumed that she was just eyeing Itachi by coincidence and was talking about some other person that could have filled that spot. But I didn't. All because of the way she was connecting her eyes from Itachi to me.

My hand was already on the bag's string handles as I looked from her to Itachi and back. I dragged the bag off. "He's not my boyfriend." Sensing the obvious bad vibes that I was trying to transmit, the cashier's smile dimmed a little.

The bag was slightly heavier than I thought it would be. It wasn't so bad, considering it matched the air between Itachi and I. How did it always get like that? Silent and more than slightly awkward. "So," I took a deep breath. "What have you got planned for tonight?" Out of obligation for asking the question I at least tried to make eye contact. Itachi just kept walking, not giving any sign of answering me any time soon. I watched him for awhile, deciding whether or not to ask again.

Eventually he came around. "I'm not sure."

_I guess you could call this progress_, I thought to myself. "Well," I stopped for a second- you can never be to cautious right? "There is the festival going on tonight."

Then- _silence._

Hadn't he been fine before we went to the store? At least that's what I had deduced from his openness to dress shopping with me. So why was he being so rude? _So why do you care?_ The voice that had been insistently bothering me caused my hands to start moving. They tapped their fingers one by one before moving onto folding and unfolding my shirt. Why was I so disturbed about Itachi being so- well being so himself?

Maybe it was because I knew he wasn't always like that. Itchy was never like that with me. Though, I didn't really expect to see that side of him considering I had convinced him I had never known him before.

"What's bothering you?"

I could feel the tips of my ears beginning to burn up. There really was no use in lying to him, even thought that is exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted to lie to him. I wanted to not let him know that he was effecting me. What would be the use? You don't get to be a top ranking criminal by being so easily deceived. There was only one thing you can do in those type of situations.

"What is that?" I yelled. Funny, I could've sworn Itachi did something like flinch. I threw my finger in the direction of a near by stand. A woman stood with a box of puppies at her feet. I started pulling Itachi by the arm towards the puppies, hoping to successfully avoid his questions. In reality thought it was more like we were walking in sync rather than me pulling him along.

I sat on my knees by the box. The puppies were all sorts of colors and shapes. Plucking one out, it practically mauled me while trying to express it affection. "Itachi!" I giggled, I think it was to be cute. He was standing examining both the puppy and me.

"Don't be afraid," The woman chuckled to Itachi. "They really are harmless little fellows."

Almost in a skeptical manner, Itachi too knelt down beside me. He ran his hand over the puppies large he. "He is rather cute."

I was quick to agree. "Isn't he?" Without hesitation or thought I shoved the little guy into Itachi's arms. They were a perfect match together. On the side of a couple minutes Itachi just sat there as the puppy was sniffing and exploring every inch and crevice of him. I wasn't too sure though if Itachi was really enjoying himself. Itachi didn't glance at me the whole time that the puppy occupied his lap space.

Itachi's sharp eyes seemed to be becoming more doe-eyed the longer he fed his attention to the puppy. On their own account my body scooted closer to the Uchiha man and my hands grazed onto his arm. He didn't flinch or just ignore me. Fluidly he looked at me, his eyes returning back to normal and no emotion ruining his stoic expression. It was disappointing to say the least. I like to see people with their guard down. Something this man never did.

_It isn't like you didn't have the chance before, right?_

My breath hitched as Itachi put the puppy back in the box with his siblings. He stood up and stared down at me. "I think it's time we leave, isn't it?"

"Yeah." I breathed. "I probably need to go home soon."

Itachi was turning away from me when he stopped. Slowly he looked back to me. "What?" His voice was almost completely masked by the noise around us.

"I need to go home?" I repeated, not sure what he was hung up on.

Something changed about Itachi for a second.

* * *

**Itachi P.O.V**

"_I probably need to go home soon." Her little hands swished around in the water, scaring away all the baby tadpoles unintentionally._

_I looked at her, amused by her random words. "Taylor." Sometimes she said the most insensible things. I decided to play along with her anyways. "What are you talking about?"_

_A couple strands of unmanaged hair fell into her face, not that it phased her at all. "Mom and Daddy," She paused to check her hands for any new catches. Zilch. "Are probably worried."_

"_Taylor." She still hadn't accepted the fact that she was an orphan in the world. No family, no history. All she had was me and my family. "You can't go home."_

"_Don't worry, Itchy." Taylor started wiping her hands on her shorts, obviously not bothered by germs. She looked up at me with her big blue eyes and out stretched her hands to me for assistance. "I won't forget you." She had completely misunderstood me. My stomach sank, in what I suppose would be pity. She didn't have a clue about her situation. I grabbed her hands with mine pulling her to her feet._

"_Taylor-chan! Nii-san! It's lunch time, hurry up!" Sasuke yelled from the up the hill. Taylor started up the hill before she realized I wasn't keeping up. I wasn't even moving yet._

_Quickly backtracking she grabbed my hand, pulling me along with her. "Come on Itchy! Your mom said she'd make something good!"_

_My grip tightened around her hand. There was no doubt about it. This little girl had grown on me. And now that she was here I wasn't about to let her slip away._

"Itachi?" Everything started coming back together. My eyes refocused back onto her. Taylor. She was back, from where ever she had gone for eight years. Her normally energetic eyes were clouded with concern. "You okay?" Her hand was gripping my arm, hopefully not wanting me to slip away.

I pulled from her grip, trying to keep a calm exterior. "Let's go." Taylor stood in that spot, more than likely too dumbfounded to move. That seemed to be a common situation for her when I came around.

She cleared her throat a gave a little jog to catch back up with me. "So." Her voice didn't crack with any mislead caution. "About that festival tonight."

My eyebrow quirked instinctively. "I'm a little busy." That was a lie. No member of the Akatsuki was busy at the moment. Ever since the deal with the Kazekage, every was pretty much demanded to stay low by Leader-sama. That meant no missions other than recon or otherwise.

I don't think Taylor caught on to my lie. She was never good at finding a lie. Well, she wasn't good at lying either- no matter how much she thought she was. I'm sure she had me convinced that she wasn't the Taylor I had known at some point. For whatever reason she had for it, I had decided to not call her out on it. It was more comical to watch her mull it over at spontaneous moments when she thought no one was paying attention to her.

"That sucks." She flung her bag over her shoulder. "You and the rest of your criminal troupe better come out, unless you want to make me seem like a loser who walks around at a festival alone."

A smile threatened to show her my compliance to her demands. I was going to show up anyways, but it really seemed she wanted us there. I mentally stopped for a second. She had included the rest of my 'criminal troupe' in her little rant. Meaning it wasn't just my company she wished for. Ever since we met up I had been eyeing the silver pendant around her neck.

The Jashinist pendant. No doubt the foul mouthed Hidan had graciously given it to her. I held back the urge to crack my neck from annoyance. "I suppose we could make an appearance."

Taylor's eyes lit up once more. She most certainly wasn't one to want to let on to her excitement. In fact she probably thought she was quite good at hiding her thoughts. Even someone like Deidara could her like the open book she was. The bag was back at her side as she tried to come off as calm again. "Good. I'll meet you guys at the town gate, then." She sharply turned to me. "Is eight thirty good for you guys then?"

"I don't really think we have a choice." I drawled, still mulling over her new accessory. Was it really my place though to be bothered by it? Even as her seemingly forgotten childhood memory, did I really have a say in her religion? That's what I was going to leave it at. Religion. Because Hidan was a heartless man who couldn't hold feelings for anyone. Especially not her.

Especially not Taylor.

She patted my arm. "Then I'll be seeing you tonight, Itachi." And she was gone. Back into the bakery that had snuck up on us without warning. I could faintly see her disappearing into the doorway of the kitchen.

There was no need to worry. She wasn't going anywhere again. She had told me that I would see her at the festival. Anyways, I was stronger than I was when we had been children. This time I was not going to let her slip away again.

* * *

**Would you look at that? Another chapter! Well then. Sorry if Itachi seems a little OOC, I'm trying to keep him in himself- really I am! Anywhoo- review for love? :D**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

_8:30 P.M._ -give or take ten minutes.

"C'mon, Taylor! Customers are showing up and you _still_ aren't ready?" Aki had been shouting the same thing for the past hour.

And for the last hour I had been replying "Hold on!" For what seemed to me the millionth time, I retied my hair only to be frustrated once again. It just didn't look right. There was either a bump, one too many stray hairs, or it just plain out looked stupid. Even a side braid didn't do it. Pulling my hair band out from my ponytail, my hair just fell over my shoulders.

"Taylor!" Aki's voice made me jump.

"Ohmygod." I roughly shoved my hair behind my ears, and without another look in the mirror, started rushing down the stairs. Aki was hastening through the main room and the kitchen, hauling out fresh items. I threw my hands to my sides with a slap of my hip. "Happy? I'm done!"

The baker rolled his eyes, in a way that said 'Actually, yes I am.' Inconspicuously I slowly was walking towards him, hoping that I would catch his eyes and he would drop his tray of cookies to tell me how he had never noticed how beautiful I was. Just like how Disney told me things were supposed to happen.

"If you're waiting for me to tell you how stunning you are, you might as well leave." Sometimes I really think he just reads minds. That would be much less creepy then me actually accepting and admitting that Aki just knew me all that well.

Rude.

"Fine. Then you what, I'm leaving." Not that it bothered him at all. In fact I'm sure he hadn't noticed when I had left. I didn't even trouble myself with telling him a guesstimate of when I'd be home, I'd just be wasting my breath anyways. He'd probably have said something like, 'That's great then I'll make sure to wait up for you.' and it being _Aki_, he would have said it with the utmost sarcasm.

When I emerged from the Bakery I was more than surprised to find people actually outside. They were everywhere. Just roaming around with no worries other than having a good time. It was kind of creepy to me. Not that happy people isn't great and all- it just freaked me out. Normally everyone in that town was in a rush to be somewhere and to do something, but I guess everyone just took a break for festivals.

Weaving through the crowd as quickly as possible I must've seemed out of place. What with actually having to rush to be somewhere and meet some people. Those people being temperamental men… I really wanted to get there as soon as possible.

As I came to the gate I had never felt so relieved in my life. Luckily they hadn't shown up yet. I leaned against one of the gate's columns and let myself take a breather. "Thank you, J-"

A pair of arms suddenly wrapped around me from without any warning and threw me into the air. I landed on someone's shoulder, thoroughly screaming into their ear first. They twirled me around, making everything blur into a wave of undistinguishable colors. "Nice of you to finally show up!" They said, and dropped me back down. A hand gripped my shoulder to steady me.

It wasn't too difficult to imagine that I hadn't noticed the Akatsuki Host Club, considering they were ninjas and all. Kisame's deep chuckle bellowed over me. "Caught you off guard didn't we?"

Tobi gripped my hand. "Is Tay-chan okay?" I blinked at him for a couple of seconds before slowly nodding. It was funny, I was taking in everyone's kimonos. They weren't as girly and floral-ish as mine, but they were definitely eye catchers. Of course that could just be that I had only ever seen them in their criminal jackets.

Hidan smacked Tobi's hand off of mine. "C'mon already!" He crossed his arms across his chest. "We didn't come to just stand around, did we?"

A warm feeling split across my stomach. "No." It wasn't a feeling of enjoyment or anger or any other emotion. I couldn't place it. In fact, I was slightly worried about it. Everyone started moving down the path towards town. When I went to take a step my head dropped a couple pounds and I saw stars for a second.

A hand lightly touched my back. "You okay?" I looked up at Itachi, and my senses came reeling back to me.

I smiled again and nodded. "Yeah, just a little dizzy still I guess." His hand dropped his touch from my back. He waved his hand in front of him to signal me to get a move on. The wooziness drifted to the back of my mind as I walked with Itachi to catch up with everyone- it's not like it's anything a good time can't fix.

* * *

"Woo!" I screamed as another set of pins went down. Deidara had discovered the game that you throw balls to win games and along with that discovered how much he enjoyed them. He turned and double high-fived me.

"Did you see that? I completely blew that stack apart!" His inner teenager was emerging and blossoming in front of me. If he had been in regular high school I'm sure he would have done just fine.

"Yeah, you're doing really well!" The man at the booth on the other hand was less than thrilled he was picking up the pins for what must've been the twentieth time in the last hour. He'd lost the enjoyment after the first time.

Everyone else had scattered and split up, all wanting to go find some type of way to spend the night. A couple times Itachi or someone had walked past Deidara and I to see how we were doing or just by coincidence. Each time they seemed a little shocked we were still in the same spot. I started looking down either direction of the street, it was just about time for a certain 'coincidental walk by' to show up actually. To what does my wondering appear, than my very first hooker. Correction; _hookers._

That's right two women dressed in clearly skimpy outfits were gabbing together a little further down. I rolled my eyes, couldn't they have enough decency to at least cover up on a _festival_ night? There were children! Right before I went to dismiss it the skinnier woman started slapping her co-worker's arm rapidly. She was pointing to something. When the friend spotted what ever it was she too began to be overcome with giddiness.

My attention now rekindled I started craning my neck around to see what all the fuss was about. A bunch of people walking around, a couple kids with dango, and then I saw it. I saw him. I saw Hidan.

He two was craning his neck around, searching for someone. His attention quickly drained from his pursuit when the screams of the hookers reached him. A look dawned on him that could only be described as something like shame or maybe disgust. Well it was hookers so… either one would work I guess.

Boldly they approached him. One grabbed his hand while the other latched onto his arm. I covered the smile on my face. I was sure I would never see such a sight, but here it was. If it wasn't tonight in a festival I'm sure Hidan would've ripped into them and sent them running. My eyes ran over his mouth, it was moving. He was talking to them. He wasn't mad at them for being so affectionate with him.

Something ran through my eyes. "I'll catch up with you later, Deidara." I mumbled as I stomped towards my target. The threesome didn't notice the oncoming torpedo. My pace was catching myself off guard when I started slowing down. Their conversation was coming in clearer. I backed behind a line of people.

"Hi-kun!" The skinnier brunette whined. "You should still come see us more!"

I could feel my stomach crunch. That was utterly repulsive. Don't get me wrong, Hidan has his freedom but he could've at least found a better prey. With utter caution I peeked around a larger man. Hidan had regained his ambition for looking around. Probably for me. "I'm a little busy."

The brunette to his right had short hair which emphasized the face she made. It alone said dirty things even without actually saying anything. "Oh you're never to busy for a-" A group of people started busting a gut, thankfully stopping the woman before she could successfully continue to rape my ears.

Whatever she said made Hidan stop and look at her. If it made him speechless- it kind of made me a little curious. He rolled his eyes and shrugged them both off. "Listen, I am asking you nicely to leave me alone." The sleeves to his kimono had been rolled up neatly but he began readjusting them seeing as how one of his 'friends' had knocked it loose.

"So, what?" The skinny brunette smacked her hand on her hip in an angry fashion. "You think you can just come around when ever you damn well feel like?"

Hidan turned back to them. "Well that's what I paid you for, wasn't it?"

_Ouch. That's gotta hurt._

The short haired brunette started tramping (_ha, get it?_) towards Hidan. That was my cue.

I stepped out from behind my camouflage and quickly made my way to Hidan's side. She stopped short a couple feet when she saw me. I gripped Hidan arm closely with both arms. He nearly jumped when I appeared beside him. Both women looked from Hidan to me and back several times. "I'm sorry, can I help you?" I visibly drew myself closer to Hidan, trying to at least come off as possessive.

The smaller woman grabbed the other's hand. "Come on, Nao." They both sent me one last dirty look before getting as far away from their ex-'client' as soon as possible. I waited before they were a good distance away before I made some slack between Hidan and I.

I looked up at him, ready to start bragging on about how he didn't need to thank me when I stopped. His eyes were fastened to me with the kind of look that scares me. I dropped his arm and took a step back, "What's wrong?" He didn't blink. Hidan just kept staring at me with this type of intensity that just made me want to smack him.

"Stop it, Hidan. You're freaking me out." A hint of a smile creaked up the left side of his mouth. It wasn't even a smile though, it was more like a curve of the lips.

He took a step towards me and swept some hair out of my face with the back of his finger tips. His fingers left a trail of odd sensations over my cheeks. It shocked me at first, what he was doing, until I realized that I had left my hair down.

My chin tilted upwards out of some kind of primal instinct, like it was all coming naturally. "I didn't get to tell you that I like your hair tonight." Hidan practically mumbled his words together. But it was okay because he was so close to me that I could understand him perfectly. Really, when had he managed to get his hand behind my neck and his face just inches from mine? What had made him suddenly propelled to act like this, and why wasn't I stopping him?

"Taylor!" My breathing hitched, Hidan stiffened. His eyes refocused onto mine. His hand slipped away from my neck and I realized the only thing keeping him smack dab close to me was the grip I had on his robe. I slowly let go and our little moment was gone. Our eye contact broke and we looked away. Deidara came pushing through the crowd hair everywhere.

"Deidara?" I pushed my hair behind my ears, praying that he hadn't seen anything prior to his showing.

Deidara tried to tidy himself up as he approached us, his face was twisted with annoyance. "Deidara-senpai! Wait up!" Tobi followed after him, ignoring the other annoyed people he was shoving into on his way. "I said I was sorry!"

Completely ignoring is partner Deidara started pushing me in the opposite direction. I looked at Hidan and he was still not looking directly at me. "Deidara, where are we going?" He muttered, not missing a beat.

"The bar." He growled.

"I was just saying 'hi', Senpai!" Tobi was still pleading to Deidara from behind us.

_Then to the bar we go, I guess._ This'll be good.

* * *

**Gahh! I am soo sorry, this is soo short. I just really wanted to get my next chapter out there. Actually this is like a ¼ of my next chapter. If you guys have any suggestions, critiques, things you want to see, things to want to happen- PLEASE! Don't hesitate to say anything. Right now I am open to any ideas and such. So- review for love :3**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

After awhile Tobi settled down with his apologizing rant, Deidara slowed down his pace a couple of notches and Hidan… well he still wasn't looking at me. It was funny, a couple people- mostly women- huddled together in their little groups trying to be discreet as the wiggled a finger in our direction. I never thought I'd feel shy being in a group of beautiful people. But there I was feeling completely like the DUFF of the group.

Designated. Ugly. Fat. Friend.

I wasn't even that fat! I just- I mean you try standing around handsome looking people for more than ten minutes and you would be surprised at how it makes you feel.

"It's right over there." Deidara leaned back to me and tossed his finger in a certain direction. To be honest I still had not seen anything that remotely resembled a bar. Maybe it was just my inexperience with this world, but there was no neon lit signs, no rough looking people staggering in or out, nothing that even reminded me of a bar from my world. Of course on the inside it was a completely different situation.

Deidara stood in front of me and Hidan behind me, acting as a shield to any unwanted people. Once we were inside, the familiarity rushed to me. There was a bar with stools and assorted bottles of alcohol. In front of the bottles wandered a larger man, cleaning out glasses with a, hopefully clean, towel. There were a few other men acting as servers. The air was full of various smells, clamoring voices, and even some cigarette smoke. In a filed line Deidara lead us around different groups of people to a booth more towards the back.

I slid in the booth, satisfied with being on the inside. Hidan and Deidara sat across from me which left Tobi to come right in beside me. "Is anyone else coming?"

As Tobi waved his hand through the air, trying to signal someone to bring drinks, Deidara shrugged his shoulders. "We all agreed to meet here later on, so I guess so. Just don't know when they'll decide to show up."

I mouthed an 'oh' and went back to scanning the area around us. Maybe they were already here. Kisame didn't seem like someone who would actually want to socialize with people. Surprisingly he wasn't to be seen yet.

A waiter brought over a tray of drinks. He set down a mug of what I supposed was beer in front of the guys and slipped a more dainty looking drink to me. I gave him a smile as he returned it with a wink. _See? That's not treatment a Duff would get!_ I mentally held my head higher and puffed out my chest.

Deidara leaned on the table. "Would'ya look at that! We haven't been here for two minutes and you're already getting hit up." He gave a load outburst of a chuckle. "Looks like at least one of us won't be going home alone."

His words automatically sent my face into flames. "Deidara!" Hidan and I yelled together. Deidara and I both looked at Hidan. Then Deidara and Hidan both started laughing. Leaving Tobi and I confused and slightly reddened.

"You shouldn't talk about Tay-chan that way!" Tobi crossed his arms and slunk down slightly in his seat. "It's not polite!"

"Oh lighten up!" Deidara laughed, obviously letting _himself_ loosen up.

I smiled, still a little embarrassed and laid a hand on Tobi's leg. "Thanks, Tobi." Tobi turned his head toward me, causing the hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end.

"Anything for you, Tay-chan." I'm sure I was just overreacting but the way he said it seemed like he was almost out of character. Like he wasn't saying it with his normal self. Like _Madara_ had shown through.

My stomach sank a little, indicating that it truly was time for a drink. Lifting the martini glass to my lips I took a large gulp. It was definitely a stronger drink than I was used to. Not that I was a teenage alcoholic, I've just had a couple drink, nothing serious. Which made me think of home.

Again, I wish my mother could have seen me. Boy, oh boy, wouldn't she have just _loved_ that!

My nerves calmed down a bit after the first couple drinks. Actually we all did. Tobi let more perverted jokes slip, Deidara was already easier going than his normal self, and Hidan actually began looking in my direction again. We started up a game of trying to judge what people sharing the bar with us were thinking.

Hidan picked out a thin man standing beside a rather voluptuous looking woman. "He's about two seconds from grabbing he huge ass and she's gonna flip some serious fucking shit!" We all cackled as we tried to keep the two in sight. Needless to say the man did precisely that. Making the woman turn violently and chew him out before throwing her drink on him, slapping him across the face and finally turning around to stomp out.

I sat back, applauding the unsuspecting show before us. "That was great!" My hand went to grab at my drink only to find it empty. Deidara had been trying to flag someone over, but I guess that the bartenders were just too busy. I looked at everyone's drinks, they probably had three times the capacity of my glass but they were still almost all gone.

"Imma go get some more drinks." I said while tapping at Tobi's shoulder to signal I wanted out.

"Thank you, Taylor!" Deidara nearly sang.

"Hurry back!" Hidan yelled after me.

Slinking through the crowded room I squeezed myself into a place at the bar. I leaned forward slightly looking down both side of the long bar. The server from before handed off a beer to a man before seeing me waving my hand. A grin curved his lips. Passing another person who was there before me he left them to another server and chose to stand in front of me.

"Hullo there." His voice was deep and charming. Or maybe it was the alcohol in my system. Either way he sounded great.

"Hi." I smiled back. I ran a hand through my probably messy hair. "It seems we are in need of some more drinks over there."

His eyes darted to my table and then back to me. "Well, that's not too good." He reached under the counter and brought out another slender glass. "I'll get right on that." I smirked as I watched him mix up a new concoction. "You know," The man nodded his head behind me. "Your boyfriends doesn't seem to happy right now." I looked over my shoulder, not sure what he was talking about. Of course all three of them were looking in our direction, none seeming too happy

I turned back to the server, rolling my eyes. "Don't mind them."

"So they are your boyfriends?" He smirked jokingly.

My hair fell back over my shoulder. "More like my personal chastity."

"Oh." He drew the word out, emphasizing his understanding. "Well then," He poured the drink into the glass and pushed it over to me. "This one would be on me."

"And you would be?"

"Call me, Yoh." _Yoh._ I said over in my head. Plain and simple, yes- Yoh. I took my glass and started back to my table. "Hey wait!" I looked back at Yoh. He was leaning across the table. "You didn't tell me _your _name!"

I simply smiled back at him and went back to my table. A little game of cat and mouse, never hurt anyone. Maybe Deidara was right. Maybe I wouldn't be going home alone that night.

Tobi stood up to let me in again. "Hey!" Deidara shouted. "Where are the hell are _our_ drinks?"

I shrugged. "I guess I was a lil' distracted." I swirled my finger in my drink before taking a sip.

Deidara rolled his eyes. "Whatever, I guess we'll just go and get them. C'mon Tobi." Reluctantly Tobi followed his senpai out of the booth, leaving it to be just Hidan and I.

Hidan took the last swig of his third drink before setting the mug back onto the table. Rather _loudly_. I too took one more gulp of my drink before looking over at him. I could feel my senses slurring together. From across the table we stared at each other. He didn't even look like the drinks were getting to him. Did that make me a light weight?

"Glad to see you're making friends." He growled with a bite of bitterness, obviously hinting at my interactions with Yoh.

"Me too." I growled back. Where was the hostility coming from? When had the night gone wrong? We were all just having a grand ol' time not too long ago. I narrowed at my eyes.

He wasn't even really looking. He was looking a little past me, directly avoiding eye contact with me. "Hidan." His eyes flickered to somewhere else. My hands gripped the sides of my Kimono and my head started pounding again. The pounding had never actually gone away, it was more along the lines of I was distracted from it up until that point.

But why was he mad? "Hidan." My voice had a little more whine swaying into it. I was confused. _Please look at me._

"What?" He practically snapped at me as he fingered his mug handle with his thumb. The way he was acting. It hurt. I didn't understand. What was going on and why was it that it made my stomach churn with discomfort.

"Look at me." I whispered softly. Of course I didn't expect him to hear me. I should've been able to just ignore him. To not worry why he was acting to weird. But it did. I didn't want him angry at me. I wanted to know what was wrong.

His hand tightened gripped around the handle. "What?" He snapped much louder.

"Look at me!" I yelled back just as loudly. At that point, he did look at me, a bit of shock tightened in his eyes. My voice had broken as I yelled, so I wasn't too surprised by his reaction. Once again he diverted his eyes. "Just. Look at me. Please."

Hidan's jaw tightened. He wasn't saying something that he really wanted to. Or maybe he didn't want to _do_ something. Either way he was holding back. Tired of being the only one who was trying to work with the problem I took in the only solution I saw at the moment. I threw my head back and downed the rest of my drink. If he wouldn't give me the attention I deserved I would just go and get the attention I wanted.

As I scooted out of the booth I could feel his eyes on my back. Good. I wanted him to watch.

Squeezing back in between two people at the bar I waited as patiently as I could to get another drink. Soon enough Yoh spotted me. He waltzed over to me, this time scanning my stance. "Another one?"

I leaned in on my elbows. "You sure can read me like a book."

"You're lucky I like you, otherwise you'd have a mighty fine bill by now." He started pulling out all the necessary items to mix up my new favorite drink. I tapped a finger on my arm, not really sure how to make my moves.

A small flirtatious laugh came from me. "Oh? How will I ever repay you?"

Yoh's actions didn't miss a beat and he looked up from shaking the ingredients together. "I could think of a couple ways."

My mouth twitched lightly. It was good to know that at least men were the same in this world. Pigs. Pushing away those thoughts I focused on my one true goal. Getting a reaction from Hidan. "Is that so? Do tell." I already knew, but if this was the only way to get things going, I'd just have to act cute for a little while longer.

Yoh looked down both sides of the bar, more than likely looking for his boss, before setting down his mixer and leaning across the table.

His mouth was just at my ear when a hand ripped me backwards. Almost falling off my stool I proceeded to glare at the appendage's owner! "Hi-" I stopped short. I had thought that it was Hidan, but I was wrong. Towering over me was Itachi Uchiha. "Itachi?"

Itachi's eyes were red with his sharingan and accompanied by a murderous look. He had a stern grip on my arm and with it he yanked me away from the bar. Away from a very alarmed looking Yoh. Yet, Hidan was no where to be seen in the vicinity of where I had been. A door flew open and then Itachi and I were outside. He shoved me out into a less crowded street.

I stumbled to regain my balance, which was harder than usual thanks to the numerous drinks I had knocked back. Once I was as stable as I could get I threw a look at Itachi. "What the hell do you think you are doing?"

"You smell like alcohol." He growled out. He was furious and it scared me.

"So what? I can do what I want!" I suddenly took the defensive.

Itachi took a couple steps toward me. "What were you doing with that bartender."

My lip curled in disgust. "I wasn't doing anything!"

His eyes narrowed. They were still patterned with black and red. "Bullshit." I opened my mouth to bark back at him but I stopped. I was afraid of pissing him off further. In the past I had made him mad but this was different. This was like I couldn't predict how he'd react. My arm was already red from where he had had a hold of me.

I dropped my eyes to my feet, I was acting like Hidan- I wanted to look anywhere but at him. "What do you-"

"You aren't doing this ever again." My head snapped up.

"What?"

If possible, he glared even harder. "You are _not-_"

"You can't tell me what to do!" I yelled as precisely as I could. The alcohol was making my speech slurred and my temper sharper.

Itachi grabbed me by both arms. "I can do what I damn well feel like!" This was a side of Itachi that I hadn't ever seen. In fact I just wanted him to calm down, but I wasn't sure that would happen. I wasn't sure what would happen at all. This wasn't Itachi.

"Itachi." I whined trying to pull out of his grip. "Stop."

His grip only tightened. "No, you're the one who needs to stop. You're in there acting like some tramp."

"I'm not a tramp!" I went to lash out at him with my hand but found it was quite hard with him holding in the manner that he was. That manner being as tight as a vice grip. My face pinched a tad bit from his hold actually.

"Stop making that face!" Itachi growled in a low tone.

"I can't!" I finally snapped. "It hurts, damnit!"

Something changed in his face. He looked down at how his hands were clutching my arms and then slowly let go. His eyes stayed on my arms as they shaded into a color of bright red while his eyes did the exact opposite. Itachi looked away before regaining eye contact with me. I can't say that his anger dissolved, because his whole body was still tensed up, but he did change something about his approach.

"I'm sorry about that."

"Ya don' sound like ya mean it." My words further slurred together and my head made sure that I knew more and more about the presence of the pain in my head.

His thumb softly glided over my freshly sore arms. "It's because I'm angry right now." I looked up at Itachi, at his scrunched together eye-brows. The man before me then was the type that didn't like show-casing his emotions with even simple expressions. Let alone openly admit them to anyone.

I laid my hand over his on my arm. "It really doesn't hurt that much."

Itachi scanned my face, while his free hand touched my cheek. "You never were that good of a liar."

By the way he said that, it meant that he obviously was still fixated on convincing me into just admitting to who I was. Or who I had been. There was no point in further lying to him, it wouldn't prevent him from knowing what he already did. "Itachi, I-"

Suddenly a large commotion started up from behind Itachi. People started shouting and from what it sounds like there was a fight. Immediately Itachi took his hands from me and headed back inside, determined to find the source. As I went to follow I found it indefinitely impossible to move anywhere. All of my weight seemed to be heading to my feet as I started getting light headed. "Itachi." My breath left me and I hit the ground.

The word petrified couldn't start to describe my feelings at that very moment. All I knew was that everything was blurring out and I couldn't feel anything but the pain erupting from my forehead and stomach. As soon as Itachi heard me hit the ground he feel to his knees and rolled me back over onto my back.

"Taylor?" His voice was in an alarmed tone. He raced his hands all over me, checking my vitals and trying to figure out what was wrong.

I opened my mouth to try and talk but nothing came out. Nothing but what air was still inside of me. It was getting harder to breathe leave be the breathing end.

The last thing I saw was Itachi picking me up, saying something about _holding on_ and then I was gone.

**Sooo. I know that this is far past the words late and short. And I have no excuses this time. Actually I was loosing inspiration and motivation with this story for awhile but thanks to a few movies and reading my newest reviews I've found some more. The next few chapters are going to be tricky. And thanks to a certain reviewer I may whip up an extra chapter from Hidan and Itachi's point of view on the whole 'Bar Scene' and what not. Well then review for love! -NSR :3**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

_Beep._

_Beep._

_Beep._

My eyelids felt heavy, my arms felt like they had lost the ability to move, and actually I just felt all around horrible. All of my senses were numbed and trying to regain themselves as I started to try and get myself started. The first thing I felt was the most alarming thing I had ever woken up to; something was stuck in my throat. Somehow I could breathe with it though.

Soon I realized there was a light flow of air running into my nostrils. The breeze smelled sterile and unpleasant. A sort of pressure was pressing into various spots on my arms. Then there was hands. Hands prodding at me and touching me all over.

I tried to call out to them, to tell them that I needed help but the object in my throat prevented me from doing so. Finally the person laid a thumb over one of my eye lids and flashed a light into them. Instinctively I looked away from the blinding flash.

A gasp sounded from directly beside me and the light was gone. Standing beside me was a woman in a nurse's outfit staring at me with a shocked expression. Darting her hand to my other eye she shown the light in that own as she had the other. "Oh my, God." She breathed.

From the help she had given me I managed to keep my eyes open, barely- but none the less open. Slowly I examined my surroundings. It was a hospital room with the curtains drawn back, although there was barely any sunlight coming in. The nurse started running around me, checking and rechecking everything from charts to my own body.

She saw my lips move as I tried to say something and quickly laid a hand on my foot. "Miss Taylor, I'm going to have to ask you to keep that in for another couple of minutes. I'm gonna go get the doctor." Before I could even try and protest, her and her non-slip shoes were out the door.

_Keep what in?_ I looked from my bedside where a bulky looking machine stood to a rather thick tube started. It ran between the bars at the edge of the bed, up my body, and then into my mouth. That's what was irritating my throat. A feeding tube! Against my better judgment I tried to move my head to look out into the hall. It was like someone set off a handful of fire crackers in my spine. _Holy mother of God._

The longer I lay there the more anxious I became. Where was everybody? Why wasn't anyone coming? Or even visiting? Why was I in the hospital in the first place? Better yet, when had I even gotten to a hospital? _It's okay, Hidan and Itachi will be here any minute now, and they'll take you home to Aki's._ Except my own words of consolation did little for my rising heart rate.

After more time than I would have preferred. A man in a white lab coat rushed in immediately checking every medical instrument around me. He did the same as the nurse before him, flashing a light in my eyes and checking my vitals manually. "Let's get this thing out of her." He said as calmly as possible. There was a bit of giddiness to him, like he had just witnessed a miracle.

Between the nurse and himself it took them a good five minutes to properly extract the tube from me. None of those five minutes being the least bit comfortable. As soon as it was out the doctor checked my throat. "It's a little irritated, but that's to be expected." He leaned forward, making sure he was eye level with me. "Now, when you try to speak it is going to be difficult at first but just keep trying okay?" Once I nodded my understanding he gave me a quick smile. "Alright then, tell me your name."

All that came out was a wisp of a word. The nurse gave me an encouraging look. I again, more determined than before, opened my mouth. "Taylor." It was barely audible, but I said it.

My doctor stood back from the bed, gazing over me like I was a finished piece of work. "Go get Dr. Sutton and his interns." The nurse immediately turned and hustled out the door, as if it was just instinct. Picking up what I presumed was my chart, the good doctor mumbled a couple indistinct things before once again acknowledging my presence. "Can you tell me how you are feeling?"

My finger twitched, eager to move. "Confused." I neglected all the physical soreness in my body for my actual feelings and to get some answers.

He nodded slowly. "That's to be expected." Then he just kept on staring just like I was doing.

I decided to make the first move. Figuratively speaking that is. "Where am I?"

"Holy Spirit Regional Hospital." After finally catching the gist of my confusion he went on. "I'm Dr. Moyer, and I've been the lead doctor on your case since you arrived. Don't worry I'm one of the head neurosurgeons on the East Coast, so you've been in good hands"

_Holy Spirit doesn't sound like something that comes from __**that**__ world._ My eyebrows knit together. "Why am I in a hospital?" Still my voice strained to make itself clear, but I was persistent to hear his answers.

Dr. Moyer switched his weight from one foot to another. "It seems that you slipped while visiting your mother and hit your head on your way down." The way he said it made it seem like it was old news. Which, obviously was not the case to some of us. As I started to ask my next question, he apparently wasn't finished. "You've been in an inconstant coma for the last few weeks."

That was when my mouth went dry. I had thought my throat was upset before, but from the lack of air and moisture getting to it then- the soreness doubled. "Coma?"

"Listen," He gave me what I was sure was a dime a dozen smile before looking out the door. "Nurse Rose has contacted your family and they will be here within the hour. Until then, we'd like to thoroughly check you out, to see what may have triggered your wake up. You are more of a rare case, so we are going to let our interns have a crack at you."

Although, it didn't really seem like I had a choice in the matter. Before I could ask anymore questions a team of coated doctors rushed in. Dr. Moyer stood beside who I presumed was Dr. Sutton and started announcing my situation. While they were having their little pow-wow I started getting my mobility back. It started with my fingers and toes. Then as I started moving my arms slowly up over my blankets I tried to lean forward.

My whole body seemed was weakened to not moving on its own for so long. But a couple of _weeks_? Really? Wasn't it supposed work so that only a few hours passed in the normal world? Because obviously every science-fiction movie I had ever watched had been a lie up until that point.

I was doing fine with testing my body out until a suspicious younger looking doctor pointed me out. Dr. Sutton's eyes widened and walked around my bed. "Taylor, you need to give yourself time. You've been asleep for a long time. You're body isn't ready yet."

"I'm fine." I attempted to sound tough and badass but it just came out as weak and pathetic sounding statement. I had been through this when I was eight, I'm sure I could handle it eight years later. As Dr. Sutton made an effort to help me out, Dr. Moyer turned back to the handful of interns.

He started making them brainstorm ideas of what could have sparked off my newly awakened state. I had to admit I kind of liked listening to them, it reminded me of _Grey's Anatomy_. Of course all of their mumbo-jumbo just sounded like big words that are just as hard to read as to say. Giving up on keeping up with them I focused all my attention to Dr. Sutton. Seeing as how I was fully sitting up on my own he stepped back to the foot of my bed.

"Where's Itachi and Hidan?" I asked suddenly. Everyone looked at me, while Dr. Moyer still pushed for ideas. What I had meant to ask was where my family was, though my mouth was having none of that.

"Who?" One of female interns asked.

After Moyer stopped and also turned to me, I just looked out the door. "It's a nickname for my brother and sister." I quickly lied. "Where's my family?" As hoarse as my voice still was, they all managed to make out what I was saying.

Dr. Moyer smiled simply replying, "Soon." I'm sure by 'soon' he hadn't actually expected them to rush in within the next ten minutes.

The interns were herded out of my room leaving only Dr. Sutton and Dr. Moyer in the corner of the room as my family started fawning over me. My mother was in tears and she threw herself on me while my Dad was on the opposite side roughly petting my hair as he tried to fight of tears himself. Alexis buried herself in Duncan's arms, weeping from what was hopefully joy. Standing off the sides were my step-parents. They spoke in low voices to the two doctors, giving everyone their time with me.

That's when it started sinking in for me. When everything started to click. I wasn't in Naruto's world anymore. I was back home. It all was a bit much for me to be honest. I hadn't had any contact with any of them for the past few weeks and suddenly they were all around me at once. And seeping with too much emotions at once. After being around someone like Itachi for so long, I guess it should've felt refreshing. Instead it only felt aggravating.

"Mom." I ran my hand over her shoulder. "You're cutting of my circulation." Try as I had to comfort my mom, there was still an element of bite to my voice. She nodded as she started pulling herself together.

"I'm just so happy that you're awake." Her eyes started welling with tears again and she once again threw herself at me, this time wrapping her arms around my shoulders. "Oh, Taylor!"

Dad gripped my hand tightly as he rubbed his eyes from underneath his glasses. "You've been so pale for the last couple of weeks." He took in a shaky breath to try and calm himself down. "It's good to see you getting some color back."

My chest squeezed painfully together. The whole time I had been with Itachi and Hidan, my family had been suffering. They had to see me hooked up to machines just to stay alive. What kind of daughter puts them through that? "I'm so sorry, Daddy." Not knowing what else to do, I looked down at our joined hands and gave him a squeeze.

"Taylor," Duncan's deep voice said at the last empty side of my hospital bed. "None of this is your fault."

"For God sake's you've been in a coma!" Alexis wailed. I guessed that the word 'coma' was officially an off-limits word among the family from that point on.

Pulling a near by chair up beside the bed, Dad sat down. "Yeah, Love-Bug, I didn't mean anything by it. Like your mom said, I'm just happy that you're awake." He smiled a thin smile that was nearly all hidden by his pepper colored mustache.

Slowly Alexis started inching towards my bed. She made it seem like if she came to me too quickly, then I would konk back out. Duncan must've been the one holding her hand through it all because he was acting like a walker for her. Right along beside her every single baby step of the way.

Awkwardly I sat there as the doctors gave their plan for the next day or so. Basically they would have a psych evaluator come down to my room make sure I was mentally stable, then if all checked out okay then I would be back in school that week.

School_._ The word alone made my head spin. What would it be like returning back to school and associating with normal people again? It couldn't be all that hard. With friends and familiar faces around me again it would be much easier to cope with everything.

_But without __**them**__._ My hands became clammy and diverted my thoughts back to the doctors words. There was no point in thinking about any of that, there wasn't anything more I could do. The best thing I could think of doing was focusing on recovering as quickly as possible.

When all was said and done and the doctors were out of the room, everyone became slightly more lax. Alexis worked up the nerve to smile and separated herself slightly from Duncan. "So, tell me what's happened." I leaned back in my bed, resting my body for a little while.

Mom pursed her lips while rolling her neck. "Well Grammy Edie decided to give Duncan a pitbull puppy for his birthday." Grammy Edie was my Dad's mother and never quite got along with my Mom, especially after their divorce. So I just assumed that Duncan's 'present' was a giant middle finger to Mom.

I stopped for a second. "Wait, Duncan's birthday?" I sat back up suddenly, making my muscles cringe. "I missed your twenty-first birthday?" Duncan just rolled his eyes accompanying a shrug. This made me so disappointed. I had been saving up enough money to get him a hot-pink leather set of seat covers, as a gag-gift naturally.

"It's no big deal, Tay. I promise." He might have said that, but to me it was. It was like I missed something big. Which I did. I missed one of the most important mile stone birthdays a person can have.

Trying to relax again I just kept going. "Alright, so what else?"

For a couple seconds everyone get really quiet before my sister spoke up. "That boy started coming around again."

I stared at her with so much hope, that I could've jumped out of bed. "Which boy?"

Her smile gave a little more oomph suddenly. "Chet."

And there went my hopes.

"Chet?" At first I didn't understand completely. The concept of a boy named Andrew 'coming' around didn't register. "He's your…?" My voice trailed off leading into a questioning tone.

She drew her hair over her shoulder, a habit of hers that was all to familiar. A sign that she was getting somewhat excited. "_Your_ ex-boyfriend." Then it came back. Chet Fitzgerald. My ex-boyfriend of seven months. Why he was bothering my family now, I didn't really care to know.

"Oh. That's weird, I guess."

Mom sat down on the bed beside me. "You know what I think?" I just looked at her. "Once you get up and going again, you strike up a couple conversations with him and see where things go."

My face crumpled together. _See where things go?_ "Mom." I said with a firm voice. "I don't want to see where things go with _Chet._"

Marie, Dad's girlfriend, stepped in beside Dad. "But Taylor, remember how much you-"

"I don't want to see where things go with him!" My voice was now in a mixture between a hurt whine and an unbearable yell. Everyone in the room became silent. I did feel slightly bad for snapping at them so hard, they didn't deserve my mixed feelings about being awake. "I-I'm sorry, I don't know what-"

Marie laid her hand on my leg. "It's okay, we'll just change the subject." Mom nodded her head in agreement.

Then everything started to roll. There were stories about Dad fighting with some armed man, Cody's puppy (now named Sammy), Marie almost setting the house on fire with her cooking, Alexis hitting a cow, and other various stories including everything from A to Z. They kept my mind off things until visiting hours were coming to an end.

Nurse Rose came back in timidly. Almost afraid to interrupt our reunion she stepped up into the space between my mom and Duncan. "I'm sorry, but visiting hours are over." She pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "I mean they were over a half an hour ago, but we made an exception this time."

My mom stood up in her defensive way. "Well, isn't that psychiatrist coming down? If she I want to be here with Taylor when she does."

The nurse pointed somewhere over her shoulder. "Dr. Sutton made an appointment with Dr. Aud, a doctor from the psychiatric wing, for tomorrow. We'll call you before her appointment so you can come, but you can't be with her during the appointment." At the beginning of when she started talking her voice was semi-concrete, but as she progressed it slowly declined in authority.

Rich, my step-father, brought my Mom's coat over to her. "We do have to get up for work tomorrow, Hun." His look just made what he said feel more like 'Enough is enough, let's get the heck out of here already.' Reluctantly Mom hugged me good-bye.

Holding my face she kissed me on my forehead. "I'll be back as soon as they call me tomorrow, okay?" I tried to make a couple jokes with her to show her that I was just fine but as mothers always do she just shook her head and took another five minutes to finally leave. Once she was gone it was only a matter of time and a number of 'see you tomorrow's until they left in suite.

Then I was alone. Then there was nothing to keep my thoughts at bay.

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

Even that timid little Nurse Rose didn't come back in for God knows how long.

Everybody had been so happy to see me awake. I was happy to see them to, but something was off. I wasn't feeling the way I should've. I should've been ecstatic about being back to the normal world. Instead though there was this feeling making me feel more or less jittery. A restless, hopeless, and depressing feeling to everything.

The feeling all came back to those returning thoughts. The unsettling thought that told me I was where I was supposed to be. I was home, but there was something missing. _**They**_ were missing.

How could I feel so attached about a world that was merely a figment of my imagination? A dream was a dream, so who cares how vivid they are? But I felt it all! I could remember slamming into the cliff, and the smell of the festival, and the feel of Itachi grabbing my arm.

He had even left a mark! There was no way that was a dream, he had practically broken my I arm I thought. _He said he was sorry!_ Sorry or not it still scared me. Itachi had never been like that with me before. He even activated the sharingan… Why was he being like that?

I would have expected something like that from Hidan, what with his anger issues and all.

_And what stems from anger?_

Jealousy…?

My breath hitched. My heart on the other hand was racing like a sprinter that tripped and fell. To feel jealous though you have to at least like another person, and Itachi never really seemed all to keen of me at times. Which meant that if my gut was right, a flip of a coin chance, then Itachi had liked me and he was jealous from Yoh flirting with me.

So why hadn't _Hidan_ made a fuss? He was the one with the violent history after all. Hell, we were practically all over each other on the street. Of course we stopped and things progressively had gotten worse through out the night. I should have just glomped him while I had the chance. He was there for my taking right before we shut down on each other.

Even with Itachi we were about to have the real heart-to-heart where I finally admitted that we were childhood besties. At least that's how I like to view it. What would have happened if we hadn't been interrupted by the bar commotion? It could've been the half of Itachi I remembered from the memories of- Wait. What was I thinking? There was no memories! They didn't exist! It was all a very real dream that I had had from severe brain injury.

_Keep telling yourself that. Maybe you'll sleep better that way, right?_

Then came the sinking stomach. It was like some one had hollowed out my insides. There was no throbbing headache. No crappy soreness. Nothing but numbness. My eyes didn't even give me fair warning about the onslaught of tears that started rushing out over my cheeks.

No matter how I turned it, what light I showed it in- they still had a part of me. Fake things don't just steal a part of you and keep it all to themselves. I don't know how I had been so blind about what I was feeling up until that point, but it was pretty clear to me now. When I had been so snappy with them and wanted their attention and even had such a mental roadblock with them, it was all because I lo-

"Miss Taylor?"

"What?" I nearly jumped out of my skin. Nurse Rose came into my room with a tired look on her face. Mom and Dad had probably been hounding her with questions and demands of how she should treat their daughter. Poor girl.

She rubbed her neck as she approached my bed. "I just have to make sure you're comfortable and stable." She slumped into the chair my Dad had left pulled up. "Which you are."

"Long night?" I asked softly.

Probably without even really thinking she leaned her head back and her eyes lowered shut at a snail's pace. "You have no idea. The man in the room next to you has to be bathed every couple of hours." After a frustrated sigh she went on. "And he is six hundred and ninety three pounds."

Yep. Long night. I guessed that that man was just the pinnacle of her physical workout. I could've only imagined what other problems the more severe case loads gave her. So I just sat there and let her sit in silence to the rhythmic beeping of my heart monitor. Nurse Rose was out in no time without even a single twitch she stayed there giving me some unconscious company.

I wish I could've had her gift of sleep that night, but I didn't. I never even got a single second of rest. There was nothing for me to look forward to in the morning, so I didn't feel the need to make things go faster. And even if I had the possibility of someway, somehow, returning back to my wonderland it only gave me an even furthermore numbing sensation.

The worst part of it all.

I never said 'Good-bye.'

* * *

… **:o. Oh my Ke$ha. This chapter made me so depressed as I wrote it. I seriously thought that I was going have to stab myself with a fork. Eh, I'm coming up on the last couple of chapters here. I'm not sure how many more but there is at least like 4 more I think. Point is, this isn't my last chapter. Plus, just for future references- who would read a sequel if I wrote one? **

**You know the drill. Review for love- :3 NSR.**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

I had to do it. There was no other way. I'm not just trying to convince myself either. She needed to cut any and all of the little strings she had tied to whatever fucked up misconception she had of me. It was all for her best.

Even if I didn't know it at the moment.

When Eyelash Boy gave us all the news of her invitation to the festival I knew at that second all I wanted to do was accept and be there with that damned woman. On my prior mission I had gone completely out of my to pick up a stupid protective pendent for her, even if I had told her that it was on my way. All of my commission from that mission I spent with out even a damn second thought. I worried about some stupid little shit going after her all because of me.

Taylor went off with Deidara and sashayed away into the crowd. From behind I could barely tell the difference between the two, because Taylor was finally wearing her hair down. The last time I had seen her with hair like that was the first time I encountered her. I really should've just told her to keep her hair down. It made her eyes look less tame. Being pissed off enough I left Itachi and his blue butt buddy to do whatever the hell they wanted.

For the next two hours I tried to stalk the two blondes down. Not saying that I didn't trust her with Deidara. For a couple reasons. One, Taylor didn't seem to be _that_ kind of girl. Two, I was almost 80% sure that Deidara didn't 'swing' in her direction. Nevertheless I still didn't put on a damned kimono robe to just walk around alone.

I had seen Itachi pass through a certain street several times, so something was telling me that that was where I would find my little prize. Generally I am a rather tall guy, but I still was craning my neck around to see over the crowd. There were too many people too just pick her out. Then came along two rather obnoxious broads. They were old 'business' partners for lack of better words.

I tried my best to keep my words under control as to not make a scene. That way I would've never found Taylor. "Hi-kun!" The skinnier bitch whined. "You should still come see us more!"

The urge to elbow her in the face occurred to me, yet again I suppressed it. "I'm a little busy."

The other bitch pulled herself closer to me as she talked with a seductive undertone. "Oh you're never to busy for a good-" She got cut off by a drunken group of morons laughing over something stupid. I was glad that she hadn't finished herself because I'm not sure how much more I could've kept back from throttling her.

Instead I settled with giving her a dirty look. Didn't most women take the hint from a man blatantly ignoring them? Shaking them both off of my arms kept looking for Taylor. If they weren't going to do it the easy way, then I was through with subtle hints. "Listen, I am asking you nicely to leave me alone."

I could hear them still pursuing me. "So, what?" One of them caught up to my side again. She started throwing her hands around in a way some angry way. "You think you can just come around when ever you damn well feel like?"

"Well that's what I paid you for, wasn't it?" I felt like laughing at the both of them. They were pathetic. Being whores is one thing but to be clingy whores is just fucking useless. The whore that was a little farther behind starting coming at me. Well I had tried to be diplomatic with the situation.

Before I could properly take care of them I felt someone latch onto my arm. Reflexively I jumped slightly. "I'm sorry, can I help you?" She anchored herself closer to my body in the same fashion that one of the two broads had before. This felt different though, this felt more possessive. I _liked_ this.

Finally, with heaving chest, they leveled a couple curses over to us and tramped off. They weren't what I was paying attention to though. I was focused on Taylor standing beside me, swelling with pride. She had successfully waved away two insistent pests and she knew it. Her grip on my air loosened slightly as she looked up at me. With out even speaking she stopped almost mid-sentence. We locked eyes and her face fell, obviously alarmed by my staring. Taking a step back away from me she subconsciously fiddled with a fold in her robe. _Why does she do that?_ "What's wrong?" I didn't say anything though, I didn't want to.

All I wanted to do was look at her. She was so stubborn and I would've never doubted that she had the spunk to stand up to complete strangers for just about anybody. I just never thought that she would do it for me. It made me happy. The feeling smothered out my ever present desire to kill. It was slowly taking over my attention.

Taylor adverted her eyes like she was embarrassed that I was admiring her. Well that should've made her more fucking proud, I don't do that with just anyone. "Stop it, Hidan. You're freaking me out." My lips curved into a pleased smile. I didn't want to stop.

Her hair fell across her face in some misguided way of confusion. It was hiding her cheek bones, thus annoying me. With a step I closed the gap that she had made between our bodies. My hand glided over her cheek, catching all the little stray strands that were laying in various spots. Her eye lids drooped where she looked barely there and I don't even think she realized but she started leaning into my touch.

I decided that I liked that she kept her hair up most of the time. When it was down it framed her face well at every imaginable angle. It was something like a treat to see, and things like those should be for rare occasions. "I didn't get to tell you that I like your hair tonight." By the time I had finally got around to telling her this small thought I had my hand already around her neck and was slowly closing in on her. She gave me silent consent to go on by clutching the front of my robe in a death grip.

This was the night that I was finally going to do it. Get my thoughts across to her without saying much of anything. Finally get past something a little more than fighting constantly.

Then the absolutely worst thing happened. Deidara's irritating he-she voice screamed through the crowd. My body stiffened on instinct and Taylor just about fainted. I went to let go of her but she seemed to be still stuck to me like glue. Eventually she let go and I forced myself to break I contact with her. My body ached from wanting to wrap the ever disappointed looking girl into a tight hug. That or just straight up jump her. Sometimes the line for me blurs.

It was apparent that Tobi had pissed Deidara off to some level. The so called 'artist' came up behind Taylor and started pushing her in the opposite direction of Tobi. Not too happy about the fact of his hand being rather low on her back I muttered to Deidara. "Deidara, where are we going?"

On an equal wave length of annoyance Deidara muttered back. "The bar."

I have to say I had seen that damn well coming. I also have to say that a part of my deeply hoped that Taylor was a drinker so that I'd have a reason to take her somewhere alone.

Can I just sum up the half of hour we spent sitting there downing drinks? Fucking irritating as hell. This damned bartender made a point in practically eye humping Taylor, and she just bats her eyes right back at him! The entire time I'm just sitting across from her on the verge of stabbing the man with a spoon to get my point straight.

At one point we were having a good time finally. We were pointing out the pathetic sacks of life that were roaming around the smoky room. Then Taylor just had to run out of alcohol. She goes to get some drinks for us all and guess who serves her? That little shit of a bartender! When she came back she had completely forgotten about our drinks and so Deidara and Tobi went to get us some more.

Which left it to just Taylor and I.

"I'm glad to see you're making friends." I said after slamming down the last bit of alcohol I had left.

"Me too." She growled back. Well at least I'm sure that was her attempt at a growl. It was more something along the lines of a hushed snap. Her eyes kept trailing back to me, waiting for me to give her the response she properly deserved. Or needed. Which ever came first.

Of course it wasn't stupid for her to feel confused about the way I was acting. After we had practically kissed in the street I just never gave her another look, so I wasn't upset with her about that. I wasn't upset with her at all. No. I was upset with the world.

Here we were. Two people who could've been great together with the type of relationship everyone loves. The fighting out of love kind. But here we were, an naïve girl and a malicious murderer. She deserved better than to be chained to me in some kind of relation_shit_. Being the lover of convicted criminal never does work out in the long run of course. Even though she had consented that she understood about the Akatsuki, I couldn't help but want to protect her from the harsh fact of the matter.

But with her it wasn't that simple, it truly was like she understood me. Like she _knew_ me. Yet she still didn't care. "Hidan." My eyes flinched from Taylor's sudden voicing. "_Hidan_." My eyes looked over her quickly, was she about to cry?

Something balled up inside me. "What?" It came out more sharp than I would've liked. Her voice was softer now. I couldn't make out what she had said to me. "What?" I said louder, trying to get her to speak up.

"Look at me!" She finally yelled at me. I did as she asked, except I was a little taken back by her tone. Specifically how her voice had broken through her yelling. It was a little too much for me. Had, I upset her to the brink of tears? Unable to look at the product of my harshness I looked away once again.

"Just. Look at me. Please."

_Damnit, now look what you've done!_

I wanted to. I really did. Something inside me told me to just apologize and screw the odds. I'm mother fuckin' Hidan of the Akatsuki, I could do whatever the hell I damn pleased. And if that meant having a legitimate lover, then Imma do what I want.

Then there was reality. The part that made me clench my jaw in protest and zero in on fingering the mug in my hand. It wouldn't be fair to _her._ So I let her finish her drink and sassily saunter off to the bar again. I watched her openly flirt with that shitless bartender for reasons I hoped weren't connected to me. Maybe it would've all been okay, and I wouldn't have done anything about the situation if he hadn't clearly tried to make actual attempts at her.

I had began shoving through the crowd towards the bar when Uchiha popped in out of fucking no where looking murderous. It was surprising, considering I had never seen him actually showing actual emotion for something other than boredom. He yanked Taylor by the arm and drug her out of the bar. Which actually helped me, it gave me a free range at the bartender.

Until they were fully gone I watched Eyelash Boy haul her drunken ass out, when a thought occurred to me. _What the hell is he doing?_ It was most certainly not like that emotionless ass to actually care about anything or anyone, for that matter. Then I came to think about he had actually acted like that once before. It was at the bakery shop when Taylor was still a new face. I was getting her to get some cream off of my lip with her own 'resources' and Uchiha barged in and slammed me to the floor.

And that only left one option open for me to consider.

That cocky clan slaughtering narcissist actually cared about her. Hell, he might as well feel the same way about her as I did for all I knew. At my sides my hands gripped themselves and relaxed rhythmically, finding comfort in the feeling of my skin hugging my knuckles. Once again my eyes found that damned bartender.

As he poured the drink of a hefty man I grabbed him by the shirt and cuffed him right across his face. The hefty man jumped back from his bar stool. "You damn idiot! You spilt muh drink!"

A wicked smile haunted my mouth as he came at me with his meaty fist. Before I knew it I had three more men trying to get there hands on me. I loved it lately I had been neglecting my more violent side and this was just what the doctor had called for.

Through all the clambering and shouting around me I still made out a rather muffled yell coming from outside. It stopped me dead in my tracks. Someone had yelled-

Taylor.

Barely escaping a large knife that had appeared at some point or another I ducked below another man's fist. Propelling myself through the now hostile crowd I used my elbows to try and make some much needed momentum. When I reached the bar's exit I found Itachi kneeling over Taylor. Her eyelids weren't completely shut but then again Taylor didn't seem completely there.

"Holy shit! Taylor!" I raced around to her other side. "What the hell happened?" My attention snapped to Itachi, whose attention was centered on Taylor.

He obviously wasn't going to answer me. As gently as I could with my fretfulness of the situation I pulled Taylor's face towards me by her chin. Her eyes were unfocused and sliding into the back of her head. Cursing under my breath I looked back up at Itachi. What the hell were we still doing standing around.

Busting through the door came Deidara and Tobi. "Taylor?" Tobi and Deidara shouted at once. This seemed to finally snap Itachi out of his stupor. Without hesitation he scooped Taylor off of the dirty street floor and into his arms. Inside I raged with resentment towards the Uchiha and jealousy of his holding her. Outside though, I quickly and quietly ensued him. At that moment, he was probably the one thinking most clearly- as a Uchiha that's what was expected off him.

It alarmed me, seeing Taylor in that state. Her body just wobbled and swayed in beat with the Uchiha's movements. She looked different than being asleep, she looked discontent in a way- like she didn't want to be unconscious. What had happened with in the five minutes she was out of my sight?

Had Eyelash Boy lashed out at her and whacked her something hard. Or maybe used some kind of cruel genjutsu that was just to much for a normal girl? No, that seemed unlikely of him. He was always so under control- even if I hated to admit it.

Something else was wrong. This wasn't something that was someone's fault or on even on purpose. Something was genuinely wrong.

Yet with every single thought that was streaming through my head, the only thing that seemed coherent and understandable to me was one thing. One fact that made my body quiver with anxiety.

I never said 'Good-bye.'


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

It really was a long night. Nurse Rose left after her beeper refused to shut up. After she was gone it was really just me and my heart monitor. I spent the night examining my room. There were two vases filled with flowers. A balloon in a far corner that had Tigger on it with 'Get better on it, Buddy ol' Pal!' streaming around the edge. I supposed that they both were ironic gifts given to me by people close to me, seeing as how they probably assumed I'd get a kick out of them whether I was or wasn't awake.

In reality though, I felt nothing.

The morning sun didn't hit my room. My room must've been on the side of the hospital that got the evening light. It was weird, I didn't ever think about lighting over _there_. It always seemed sunny there.

"Good morning, Sunshine!" A sing song voice burst through my door. I jumped slightly, causing my body to ache. Dr. Moyer strode in with an vivacious smile. "Glad to see your awake!"

"I couldn't sleep." I admitted, uninterested in his quirkiness.

He plucked my clipboard from my bedside and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "That's to be expected." He fell silent as he started looking me over, something I had gotten used to through out the night. Several nurses had taken turns checking in on me to make sure I didn't slip back into another coma from fatigue.

Once done he spun a chair around to position himself beside me. "So what do you want for your first meal of being awake?"

My stomach didn't really feel hungry though. Or maybe it was my appetite. Mental and physical sometimes seemed blurred when it came to food. But the only thought I could think of requesting was- "Doughnuts." I turned with a serious demeanor. "I want a glazed doughnut."

Dr. Moyer stared at me for a second, as if trying to decipher what I had just said. After a second or two he sat back with replacing his faltered smile. "One glazed doughnut on the house." He stepped out of the room, probably to make a phone call for a favor.

He seemed nice enough. To try and be personable with his patients meant that he more than likely enjoyed helping people and generally loved his job. A comforting thought in the midst of a sterile hospital room. He didn't return for what I expected to be fifteen minutes. When he finally did show up again he carried a pink and white box. Atop of it sat a pink, plastic cup with a bendy straw bobbling around in it.

"Order up!" His blockbuster smile brightened up as he sat the box down beside me. "I even got some milk from the cafeteria while my friend brought these over." Inside the box sat a dozen doughnuts of all kinds. Iced, glazed, powdered, cream-filled even one with strawberries mixed in with it. Then my appetite kicked in. I completely forgot about the soreness of my body and let myself indulge on a couple doughnuts.

As we sat there enjoying the calorie-packed treats Dr. Moyer did his best to fill me in on the latest celebrity news. "Yeah, and after that she just told the press that it was 'under control'!" Dr. Moyer licked his thumb clean.

"Well what about Britney?"

"Pfft, it's as if it never happened! Just you watch though, as soon as you turn on the t.v. all you'll hear is Charlie Sheen and his Adonis DNA."

At that I cracked up. I had completely forgotten about celebrity gossip. It was nice change of pace. Everything felt familiar. "I can't believe I forgot about this stuff!" I said before washing down my food with a swig of milk.

I didn't notice when looked at me from behind his glasses. I did however notice the change in atmosphere when he shut the box of doughnuts. He slowly slid his glasses off and set them in his chest pocket. "That's an odd thing to say."

"Is it?" I made circles with the cup in my hand causing the straw to twirl round.

"Actually, Taylor, I really want to ask you a few questions." It didn't sound like a request. It sounded like he knew I didn't actually care what he did. I looked back to him, making full eye contact with him then. "Can you tell me about the time you spent asleep?"

Now that was an odd thing to say if I ever heard one. "I'm sorry?"

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Did you dream anything? Or was it like one moment you just woke up as if you had just blinked?"

I thought seriously for a second. Should I ask him about my questions with what I thought I had experienced? Or would it have been less trouble if I just shut my mouth and lie? "I was never asleep, Dr. Moyer."

Dr. Moyer stared back at me with an introspective look. "Are you saying that you have no memory of falling?"

He was trying to get me to saying something. But what could he have possibly wanted? "No. My memory is fine. I'm saying that what I experienced wasn't a dream. Maybe my body was asleep, but my mind wasn't."

As soon as I said that he grunted a satisfied sound and made his way out of the room. I made no attempt to stop him. Maybe he was as easy to understand as usual. "What was that?" I said to myself.

And so I sat in my room watching the nurses chitter-chatter outside my door. There wasn't a lot of commotion and I guess I liked it. But then again I didn't. I felt lonely. Because I wanted visitors. I wanted someone to burst through the door and save me from the boredom that kept pushing its way in. It would be a lie if I said that I didn't expect to see Hikaru running into my room saying how he finally found me.

My neck twitched. I had to stop myself from thinking like that. I can't go back. Or at least my returning was very improbable. My chest felt tight. I remember feeling this when my mom told me she was leaving my dad. It was terrible. That was the day I promised I'd never think of love because it didn't exist. But then again there I was sitting alone in a hospital room wrapped up in thoughts of _those_ two men.

I just wanted to see them again. If anything at all. It was them that would settle all of the uneasiness I was feeling. Every single doubt.

Wait. Doubt?

_How can you be **doubting** being back to normal?_

This is what I had wanted for the entire time I spent there. Everything was going to be back to normal. How could I wish for anything else? All I needed was somebody, anybody, to console my loneliness of being stuck in a hospital room alone.

For the next couple of hours I sat in that room alone. It wasn't like I was just sitting there staring at the four walls though, I had a nurse come in and give me the remote to my television. T.V. was something I had definitely missed. What can compare to watching people with hoarding habits breaking down inside their cluttered homes? Nothing. Well maybe some guidos fist pumping along side Snooki, or a group of people trying hunt down some ghosts in complete darkness.

_This is exactly what the doctor called for._

"I'm back!" Before he said or did anything else he quickly tapped the power button to my T.V. _Or not..._ "We've got some talking to do before your family gets here."

"They're on their way?" I asked.

Securing his glasses on his face, he sat down at the edge of my bed. He never answered. Dr. Moyer whipped out a thick expensive looking pen. "So tell me about the time you spent asleep."

I found his wording rather weird. Shouldn't he be asking 'What kind of dreams did you have?' or 'How did it feel to be asleep for so long?' None the less I answered him. "I felt like I was there before. At the beginning I felt like it was a lot of deja vu. But it _was_ different. I met new people and saw ones I'd met before."

Dr. Moyer looked up from his scribbling. "You're talking as if you were there before." His eyes narrowed, not in a aggressive manner though almost as if he was waiting for me to say something.

My fingers started folding and unfolding the blanket at my waste, an action that now felt like I hadn't done it in ages. "Well, I think I was." I bit my lip nervously and shook my head. "I don't know, it is hard to explain. When I was _there_ it felt like I was revisiting my past. I even met older versions of people I think I already knew." I'm sure I wasn't getting my feelings across in a correct manner.

The doctor twirled the pen through his fingers. Suddenly he tucked the pen behind his ear and flipped through the clipboard in hand. His eyes scanned each page, he was searching for something. "Did you meet an... Itchy, was it?"

My breathing met a speed bump. "How do you know about Itchy?" His name made my stomach churn.

He pulled the pen away from his ear and clicked it again. "Is that a yes?"

I chewed on the inside of my cheek. "His name is Itachi. Itchy is a nickname from when I first met him."

Dr. Moyer started laughing to himself. It was quiet at first, controllable but then it started bubbling to where it seemed he couldn't contain himself. When he finally composed himself, he wiped away an imaginary tear. "Itachi? Like that anime stuff?" He said anime wrong though. It sound like "Ah-nih-mee"

Suddenly I was aware of why he was laughing. How stupid must it have sounded to him? I mean it even sounded stupid to my ownself once I said it out loud. "Never mind." I mumbled quickly, pulling my knees to my chest.

He lay the clipboard down and put his hands up like he was in a hostage situation. "No, don't misunderstand." A quick grin slapped itself on his face again. "That's exactly what I wanted to hear." I stared at him for a good second or so. That man made no sense. Did he even know what he was saying? How could that man have possibly been certified to be a doctor?

Intertwining his fingers he leaned forward, his attention at it's peek. "You see Taylor, you are a special kid." I must've given him an offended look because he coughed nervously into his fist. "Special in a good way I mean."

He stood up and repositioned himself on my bed. "Have you ever heard of the term _Salisomnia?_" When I shook my head no he nodded his, silently saying 'That's to be expected.' "Well it is latin for 'jumping dreams'. It's a condition in which a person experiences long bouts of being unconscious."

"So a coma?"

"Almost."

He started flipping through another clipboard. My charts. Settling with one page he turn it towards me. There were two pictures. They were blotchy black and white MRI scans. "You see these are MRI scans of your brain towards the end of each of your 'comas'." Pointing to the one on the left with his expensive looking pen. "This one is from when you were eight. And this one," He pointed to the one on the right. "Is from a week ago." He looked back up at me. "See any differences?"

I leaned in for further inspection. Other than a couple differences, they were identical. "Not really, why?"

Setting my thick chart back down he twirled his pen. "When a person experiences such 'episodes' as you have, they are lucky if they even wake up. Let alone wake up with no neurological damage." He tapped his pen on my chart. "You have no brain damage at all, which suggests you were never in a 'coma'. You were having a Salisomnia."

My mind was blank. To be honest I had no idea what he was talking about, and he quickly picked up on it. "Taylor, the thing is there are theories of other realities. Whole other universes that we are not even aware of. Some people are though." He stood up again, letting himself pace.

"It is a common fact that when people sleep, our brains are still working. Brains never stop, they are always thinking. Some of us can tune into certain things while our bodies rest."

My mind started catching up to what he was saying. "By 'certain things' do you mean-"

"Other realities." Dr. Moyer stood facing my window. "And I think you are one of them. You survive one severe coma is one thing, but two survive two..." He gave me a side glance. "It just not plausible."

"Salisomnia." I repeated slowly, as if trying to comprehend it. It really wasn't all that difficult to understand. After everything I had just been through, it made perfect sense. _Just roll with it._ "Alright then, what do we do now?"

Dr. Moyer turned back around. He sighed, "Sit back and keep a close eye on you. I have a feeling that you'll be returning to where ever you went to very soon." The light tone that had stuck to the doctors voice the entire time he had been talking was suddenly gone. It felt like he was delivering bad news. The type of news that leaves you in total shock.

Except what could be so terrible about going back? When I went to ask him what was bothering him, exactly what any concerned patient would do, my family ran right on in and took over the atmosphere. Everything felt like it was back to normal. Mom was fussing over my disarrayed hair, Dad was leveling aggressive looks to my step-father, and my siblings were acting high and mighty in each of their own fashions. Within a week everything would be completely back to normal and I could forget about _them._

Forget about Itachi and Hidan. Forget about the torturous looks and the uncomfortable moments.

Thinking about it though, those looks weren't the looks that I hated they but the looks that I adored. The looks that I looked forward too. All of those uncomfortable moments were the absolutely unforgettable moments. Those two men were the only people I had ever met that made me step out of my comfort zone. The funny thing was though that being out of my comfort zone was the most comfortable I had ever felt my entire life.

One thing was for certain though. Whatever had made the doctor change his tune so quickly was what I had to make happen.

Because I needed those two men.

_Because I was in love with those two men._

* * *

**So I'm sure there is A LOT of disappointment with the length and content of this chapter (trying to ignore the lateness of course.) I just really had to get this one in, believe me it was pretty boring for me to write, so I could get back to the good stuff. I also plan on putting in a version of Itachi's point of view about what all went down at the bar. **

**Anywhoo, any suggestions, corrections, or critique you can offer please send it. As usual review for love~ NSR**_  
_


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

It'd been almost two days since she'd passed out. She'd been laying in bed ever since, at times it looked like she wasn't even breathing. But she was. Barely.

There was very few moments where there wasn't somebody by her side. Hikaru was of course always around, sitting at her bedside or just talking as if she could hear him. When the Akatsuki came around though, he was no where near the room. At first he tried to refuse them access to her room, but Hidan quickly fixed his attitude. He wasn't much of the fatherly type, but he could sure as hell scare the shit out of some little kid that was in his way.

Hidan and Itachi in a way took turns being in the room. At least that was the silent agreement they'd settled with. Sometimes Hidan would visit, others Itachi. There was obvious tension between them, but that was the least of their concerns. At the top of the list was Taylor and if she was okay. And if she would wake up again.

Today it was Itachi's turn. He was on his own walking into the Bakery. Technically no his own that is. Lately more and more people were filling the usually empty booths. At first they'd nearly wet themselves when an Akatsuki member had walked in, but they quickly learned that if you didn't bother them they didn't bother you. The Akatsuki had other things to worry about.

Hikaru stood behind the glass gallery looking at all the people sitting and eating. Deciding that the boy was in the same pain worrying about Taylor as he was, Itachi spared the boy a pat on the shoulder. It wasn't until he was about to ascend up the stairs to Taylor's room that it clicked with him that Hikaru wasn't in Taylor's room. If he wasn't then someone else was. Itachi's jaw tightened. _Hidan._

Taking several steps at a time, the stairs seemed longer than usual. Sure enough the door to her room was ajar. Trying to contain himself he shoved the door the rest of the way open. But Hidan wasn't beside Taylor. Tobi was.

"Hey Itachi-san!" Tobi turned to Itachi with his overly bubbly personality. "I was just checking in on Tay-chan."

Itachi didn't say a word. Tobi made no time leaving the room. He brushed past Itachi, glancing over his shoulder once more before disappearing down into the staircase. There was always dark feeling Itachi got when Tobi was around, but the apprentice didn't catch his interest enough for Itachi to investigate it. At that moment he didn't want to do anything else but sit on the bed in front of him.

When he had first entered the room it was in shambles. Clothes were everywhere and there was even a rug hanging over window. Her bed was the only tidy thing in the room. It was neatly tucked in and put together. Just like she used to be. When she was little she was a rough little girl but she never cried, even though she was all alone. She was messy on the outside but deep down she had it all together.

Gently he sat by her hips. She hadn't moved since he had laid her down. He knew that when she woke up she'd be sore. Quickly he stood and flipped the lock on door. This wasn't a time for people to walk in. Hesitantly he lifted the sheets, he wasn't hesitant about anything but she had this habit of making him think twice. He didn't want to do something that she wouldn't like. Well it was for _her_ best. Sliding in beside her he could see the slow rising and falling of her chest. Taylor had never been a very fragile girl, but now when he looked at her she seemed like she would break if he even touched her. But how long had we waited to do this? To wrap himself around her and make her feel nothing but his warmth.

It didn't completely the gap he felt. Ever since he had committed that atrocity and had gotten himself put all alone in the world he'd felt empty. A void that drained him of any noticable emotions. When he saw Taylor he could feel something, maybe not everything but there was still something trying to force its way in.

Before he could stop himself Itachi slid his arm her neck and with his free hand pulled her towards him so that she was turned onto her side. He moved in closer to her pressing himself against her. This was the closest he had been to her since he had reunited with her. It felt wonderful. Taking a deep breath he inhaled her very scent. It was more girly than he expected. When had she turned into such a woman?

He wondered if she had been in any pain. Not being unconscious, but leading up to her fall. What could've triggered her body's severe reaction? If she had been in severe pain he doubted that she would've made a large fuss about it, so she could've collapsed from exhaustion. But Itachi was sure he would've picked up on it. So what else was the matter?

Itachi didn't want to accept this type of ending. She was the last part of his life that was still in tact. Everything else was dead and gone, or hated his very being. She didn't because she didn't know what he had done. How long would it take until she found out and hated him too. The second he had accepted the mission he knew there were two people he had to spare. The only two people he could never harm.

Sasuke and Taylor.

He also understood that he would have to trade love for hate. Of course it was a sacrifice, one that made him an insomniac for months afterwards. From that point on he was alone. Alone with the entire burden to carry. When Taylor had disappeared a small part of him felt relieved. On one hand he was a nervous wreck as to where she could have gone, on the other he knew she wouldn't have to suffer through what he was about to do.

Silently a thought flew through his head. _Maybe I should've killed her along with everybody else._ His body became tense as an angry response to his subconscious. He had to wonder though, how hard had things been on her since he last saw her? And now she was suffering and it could've possibly been because of involvement with the Akatsuki. Because of him. It was a long shot, but Itachi couldn't help but think maybe things could've been better off...

The part of him that was brought to life when he massacred his whole heritage was the part he didn't want to let Taylor see. There was nothing to say for sure that Taylor wouldn't reject him once he told her the truth but she deserved the truth. And he owed it to her.

"Wake up." Itachi growled as he gripped her more aggressively. "Wake up so I can apologize properly."

* * *

"Tell me what you see."

"The back of my eyelids."

Taylor opened her eyes to see Dr. Moyer with his head in his hands. Ever since her family had left he had been running tests. Not the type with hypodermic needles and bottles of pee. More along the lines of ink blotches and wires taped to her head. "Back to the clipboard then." Dragging his head up he pulled the clipboard back into his hands.

She felt guilty for not having the desired reaction. "Listen, Doc." Dr. Moyer looked up over his glasses. Since when had they gotten onto a 'Doc' basis? "Yesterday you said something about me going back, and you didn't sound so thrilled."

Then the doctor portrayed the three symptoms of oncoming bad news

**-**An energy draining sigh.

**-**The slow removal of glasses.

**-**Finally making eye contact and pausing before ever saying anything.

"While you were unresponsive to this reality we did numerous labs and scans of your body" He paused a second, as if giving her a chance to stop him. "It seems your body is beginning to fail."

Immediately Taylor didn't understand. "I'm going to die?"

"No, that's not for certain." Dr. Moyer started raising his tone to try and stop her from getting ahead of him.

Taylor's body tightened, constricting every muscle in her body. "Then tell me what's happening to me." She didn't want to hear but she knew she had to. The man beside her wasted no time in laying down every little detail that he himself understood. From what Taylor could decipher was basically that between her mind working overtime and her body going through trauma multiple times she was just exhausted.

Her body wasn't getting the rest that it needed and so it was shutting down. Which left her Salisomnia episodes harder on her body.

"From what science understands is that people with your- _condition_- they don't tend to have episodes when their bodies are healthy and strong. So with your body reacting the way it is, recovery and survival is going to be difficult."

'What a tough pill to swallow.' Taylor thought to herself. But at least she wasn't flat out dying, right? She still had a chance to have her cake and eat it too. All she had to do was let herself get better. Then she could find another way to trigger her episodes and reunite with Hidan and Itachi. Everything was going to be fine.

So why was her chest squeezing so tightly and what was that insistent beeping?

"Taylor!" Why was Dr. Moyer so far away? That's not right he was right beside her. She couldn't breathe either, 'Oh no, I'm going back... I need to rest.' It was too late though, her reality was out of her reach again.

* * *

It hurt. Everything hurt. My head and muscles were aching, my throat was dry and sore, and my stomach felt impossibly empty. I could feel my eyes darting around underneath my eyelids, my body was in panic and my eyes wanted light. Instinctively my eyelids finally flew open and I gasped for air like I had just surfaced from a long dive. The sight awaiting me were two bodies fighting beside me.

The sight panicked my body even more. In order to try and ease my pain I quickly sat up in bed clutching my chest. The two bodies stopped suddenly, letting my eyes catch their faces. They were breathing heavy too and their eyes were focused on me too.

"Oh my, God." I wheezed. Itachi and Hidan were standing beside me. I could finally see them with my own eyes. I could finally reach out and touch them. Instead, I covered my face with my hands, overtaken by sheer pain.

"T-Taylor?" Hidan sounded overjoyed.

Itachi stepped around him, back into the room. The tall raven was looking at me like he was assessing me. Trying to judge how to react. His body relaxed and his sharingan deteriorate back to nothing.

Taking the sight of both of them in at once I felt my hands shaking. "I'm sorry." I heard myself say. I don't know why I was apologizing but that's all I could think of saying.

"Stop fucking apologizing." Hidan shoved his body back into the room. Although his words sounded harsh he didn't exactly showing a poker face. He was smiling like I had never seen him smile before. "You're alive aren't you? Thank Jashin-sama and get over it!"

Itachi leveled him a cold look. "Don't bring your god into this any chance you get."

"Hey shut the hell up, Eyelash Boy." Hidan sneered while letting himself get between Itachi and I.

I took the first impulse I had. I reached up and grabbed Hidan's face with both of my hands. "You're blushing Hidan." My voice was a little rough still, but I'm sure he heard the teasing in my voice. Initially I wanted to question them about why they had been fighting earlier, though why ruin the mood, right? Besides, now that I could see the jealousy riveting from Hidan how could I let it pass? He was just too cute.

Peering around Hidan I saw Itachi making a face all of his own. My stomach did somersaults. These two full grown men were just so childish. I smiled at Itachi, "Eyelash Boy, huh?" Letting go of Hidan I set my chin on my knee. "Has a certain ring doesn't it, Itchy?" Surprisingly my voice didn't break when the old nickname came out. Itachi's eyes focused on me, a little surprise dancing through them.

Trying to play everything cool, I tried to push past them and get out of bed. My joints ached from the sudden activity, but it was worth it once Itachi grabbed my arm to steady me. It was so much different than the last time he touched me at the bar. He was gentle this time, and he had to have heard my heart beat, considering it was practically in my throat by now. Hidan was quick to grab on to my other arm, surely sending a dirty look to Itachi from over my head.

The stairs were less of an obstacle then I had imagined. I guess since I had only been asleep for a day or so, my body adjusted better to being awake again. When Aki saw me I swear he nearly had a hernia. He tried to get around the center counter to come see me but I guess he had gotten something on the floor and ended up wiping out. Hikaru on the other hand let nothing stop him from plowing into me. He kept rambling about how much he missed me and wasted no time telling me every detail of what I had missed the last couple of days.

I was dumbfounded to find the bakery semi-filled with customers. There was a soft mumbling of various conversations floating around the room. Aki explained that after the village festival people had started coming in. When I teased him about it being because he had a beautiful young lady living with him who got beautiful men to visit her, he didn't say a single word. Which of course started me on a whole different rant of jokes all together. No way in Hell I was going to let him live that down.

When I was finished filling myself up on the leasat nutritious meal ever, I finally stepped outside. The warm sunlight brushed my skin as my hair fell not so smoothly over my shoulders. I ran my hand through my hair to find it greasy and in need of an immediate shower. What had I expected? I hadn't showered in more than a night. I didn't let myself stay in the shower too long though because I wanted to be near Hidan and Itachi. I had been deprived of them completely while I saw my family, now was my time before I-

In the middle of racing down the steps, I stopped. Dr. Moyer's words rung loud and clear. '_Your body seems to be failing you.' _Even as happy as I was to see everybody, my high was suddenly killed. Although I didn't feel much different, I could still sense it. My body was running low on power. When the joy of reuniting started fading I could really feel the effects. I had a dull headache and my body was sore all over. In the hospital I guess I had felt it then too, back then I just dismissed it as the effects of being awake again. Now, thinking back, I remembered feeling this way during the festival too. How long had I ignored this?

Panic mode started to set in. My temperature jumped a couple of degrees as my heart rate picked up and my muscles contracted. I tried to calm myself down, but there was no use. Even though I knew I was wasting precious time I couldn't help but start to shake. Getting a tight grip on the railing beside me, I tried to take a step down. That didn't work so well. My knees locked and refused to take any risk of failure.

"Taylor?" Itachi's voice echoed down the hallway. "What're you-" He stopped midsentence when he rounded the corner to the staircase. "What's wrong?" In a worried fashion he started coming up the stairs towards me. That's when my knees finally let me go. Luckily for me, Itachi caught me with ease.

Lightly lowering me to the stairs so I could sit, Itachi looked me over surely trying to find the cause of my state. "What happened? Did you get hurt?" While he started trying to fish an answer from me I started to notice his lips moving so fluently. Weirdly enough, my panic started to die down. All I could think of was Itachi and how nice it was to see him and to hear his voice. There was something else I wanted even more though.

As Itachi was mid-way through another question I pushed myself more towards him. He stopped talking when my lips were nearing his. Even though I expected him to stop me himself or to make a clever manuever to avoid me, he didn't. He let me press my lips against his. He let my swing my arm around his neck and pull him closer. When my thoughts caught up with my actions I slowly let go to try and seem as little embarassed as possible. Then I realized that he hadn't reacted at all. Of course he didn't avoid me or stop me, but he didn't kiss back either.

I turned my head away from him. I felt stupid and ashamed. "I'm sorry, Itachi."

His hand gripped my chin and brought my face back around. A light smile was painted on his face. "Call me, Itchy." His voice sounded different. It sounded slightly happy and somewhat relieved. Only slightly creepy when compared to his usual cliché unemotionalness.

My heart was in my throat again and I completely forgot about my earlier worries. "Itchy." I breathed as my cheeks brought a shade of red to themselves.

As if he was drinking in my voice he shut his eyes and let out a soft sigh. That was very brief before he himself made his lips meet with mine. He did it less gentily than I had before and so my body rocked backwards. Every through left my mind, leaving it absolutely blank. All there was, was Itachi and the warmth I felt from him. This made every minute I had been deprived of him seemingly disappear.

He touched my cheek as he started pulling away. I didn't get to cherish the lovely moment too long because he quickly brought me to my feet. Before I could question him with feeling slightly insulted, Hidan too came into the picture.

"What the fuck are you two doing?" Hidan eyed me worriedly. For some reason my stomach dropped. Had he seen anything? "Taylor, you're flushed, did this dickwad do anything to you?"

Knowing better than to look to Itachi for an answer I just simply pushed past the both of them. "I should've known you were such a pervert Hidan!"

As expected Hidan followed after me. "Well what the hell was I supposed to think!" He thought for second. "And I'm not no damned pervert, ya bitch!" Good ol' Hidan. I couldn't have wanted it any other way.

Standing safely in the kitchen I let myself look at Itachi finally. He wasn't smiling anymore. From what it had seemed he had reverted back to his original self. But it wasn't just that. It was like he was focused on something. His eyes sharply turned red and he looked out into the bakery. My heart stopped. What was wrong?

"Itachi?" With out thinking I addressed him suddenly almost falling into complete panic.

Almost as if he was being snapped out of something he looked back at me, his eyes a soft brown again. "You need to rest."

Slightly relieved I rested my hands on the counter. Was he jealous of Hidan? "Oh no, I've been resting for two days." Although he probably didn't know it, he was right. "I'm fine."

"Go back to bed, Taylor. And stay there for awhile." If he was jealous that was one thing, now he was just acting weird. With subtlety his eyes moved back towards the Bakery entrance. "We need to get back. Now." Without saying anything else he left without looking back. As if it was some unspoken Akatsuki bond thing, Hidan followed with out much feedback.

When they were gone Aki looked at me. "I don't think I'll ever get used to this."

I looked out into the bakery before returning back to the center counter. "That was a little weird."

Aki started rummaging through a random drawer. "They're always weird. You should know that by now." _That makes sense._

As I started dismiss it as another one of Itachi personality defects, I heard a couple people entering the bakery.

"Finally! I could really go for something to drink, I'm so tired!"

"Will you shut up? You're such a lazy ass!"

"Both of you, shut up."

The last voice was completely cold and held a bit of authority in it. It was comptletely and utterly trademark Uchiha. I didn't even have to look to know who it was...

* * *

**This one was a little tricky. At first I was going to seperate this one into several chapters and make them tediously detailed, but I figured this work just as well. I kind of enjoyed writing this one because of the point of view changes and stuff. Not that the whole kiss thing didn't boost my mood a couple of notches or anything XD! Was it a little anti-climatic D:?**

**Well let me know what ya think. You know the drill, review for love! ~NSR**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

* * *

"_Taylor-chan!" Itachi's little brother ran into the garden. He was always away during the day for school. He looked a lot like Itachi did, just smaller. So he was just really cute. Though, I never understood why he added 'chan' to the end of my name all the time._

"_Sasuke!" I latched onto him as he neared._

_Itachi brushed off his shirt as he stood from the under the tree we had been sitting under. "How was school, Sasuke?"_

_Sasuke balled his fists and smiled brightly. "Great! Look!" From his tiny messenger back he pulled out a paper with a bunch of red writing on it. "Our sensei said that I'm bound to be one of the top shinobi in my year!"_

_Something ran over Itachi. Whenever Sasuke told him things like that he always got this certain look about him. My mother had always gotten it when I had chased bullies up the slides in elementary school. Peeking at the paper I could barely decipher half of what it meant. There was a little scribbled pink heart in the corner of his paper, which I did find familiar._

"_Sasuke, did you draw a heart on your paper?" I giggled, snatching the paper out of his hands._

_His face lit up with all sorts of mortification. "No!" He quickly stole it back before I could examine it further. "I didn't do it."_

_I looked to Itachi who was smiling softly. "Well then who did, Sasuke?" From how he sounded, he already knew the answer._

_The paper in his hand crumpled in his fist. "It was that stupid Ino! She's always following me around with that pink haired girl! Girls make me sick!"_

_It was funny, it sounded so much like home. That is to say a boy complaining about girls. I was actually waiting for the word 'cooties' to come out of his mouth. "Not all girls are bad. I mean I'm a girl! Right, Sasuke?" Grabbing his hand I shook it hard as if I was trying to wake him up._

_Seeming a little shocked that he had even come close to saying something like that he shook his head quickly in response. "You're not like them Taylor-chan! I could never hate you!"_

* * *

"C'mon Uchiha! Why do you have to hate everything?" A boy with teeth that resembled that of Kisame's moaned in a complaining manner. _I suppose that would be Suigetsu._

Sasuke didn't say anything in response. He was much larger than the last time I saw him. Much more icy as well. I don't know why it felt like a slight shock to me, after all I had watched his whole adolescence on DVD. I should've felt completely up to speed instead of a kick in the gut. But then again that could've just been my kidneys failing.

"What're you doing?"

Jumping back away from the entrance I nearly fell on top of Hikaru. As if my heart hadn't already been in my throat, I was practically gagging on it. "Dear God Hikaru! Don't jump up on me like that!"

While he rubbed his forehead from probably what was my elbow's impact, he too peeked into the bakery. "Are you spying on that boy?"

"W-What? No!" I felt like a peeping Tom that had gotten caught red-handed. Quickly taking another look from around the corner to make sure we hadn't drawn much attention I snapped my attention back to my 'son.' "I was just giving them time to decide!"

Hikaru just stared at me with this blank type of look. If you ever doubted that an eight year-old boy could make you feel stupid- don't. Because they can and will at any given moment. "Maybe you should just go out there."

"Yeah." So I did as I was sweating bullets. What if he remembered me? I didn't think I could have handle that, I mean my physical body was failing me why push my emotional state over a cliff as well?

Taking in a gust of courage I clapped my hands together. "How can I help you _fine_ folks today?" I emphasized the 'fine' when I started to notice the looks Karin was giving me. Suigetsu on the other hand grinned an impressive smile. I can't say the same for the rest of them though.

After probably the worst thirty seconds of standing in uncomfortable silence I decided to try and rush the process along as much as possible. "You know, I really recommend our glazed doughnuts, they are just absolutely-"

"Taylor." Sasuke's voice quivered an almost undetectable amount.

That was the moment I could have murdered Itachi Uchiha. More than anything in the world I wanted to wring his neck for leaving me there by myself with his miniature self.

I looked at Sasuke, into his dead set cold eyes and immediately knew I couldn't lie. I had never been able to lie to Sasuke. He was Itachi's most precious person, and the only other person I remembered from that other world when I was younger. So I curved my lips and let a out a shaky greeting. "Hi, Sasuke." The whites of his eyes flashed for a second.

Karin whipped her mop of a head to Sasuke with this look of betrayal. "You know her?"

That earned a snort from Suigetsu. "Jealous 'cause she's prettier than you?" In blind fury Karin went to jump behind Sasuke to maul Suigetsu but was intercepted by Juugo. The leader of the group completely turned a deaf ear to the ruckus. He was more tuned into me.

Working with the uneasiness of the situation I ran my hand over my ponytail. "I can't believe you remember me." _Or even care._

"I can't believe our chances." Suigetsu cackled, uninterested in Karin once again. "We come here to find the older Uchiha and we find some chick Sasuke knows!" He gestured his hand to me so it was easy enough to presume I was 'some chick'.

My stomach sank. There was no way I was going to get away from Sasuke unscathed. I had realized that my chances of fooling Sasuke of all people were slim to none. But it was the only thing I had because I doubted that Sasuke would react well to me being infatuated with his elder brother anymore. "Itachi's here?" I asked trying to lace my voice with hope.

Sasuke closed his eyes, stopping himself from vomiting, I could see his chest rising and falling in a timely manner. When he opened them back up I was hoping for something different, that he'd be his old self again and that I had somehow reawakened the sweet Sasuke everyone remembered. Yeah, that was all dashed when he still had the same empty icicle eyes as before. Not that I really should've expected anything different by mentioning Itachi with anything but a murderous tone.

"If you know Sasuke, how could you be so insensitive by mentioning _that man_?" The way Karin spoke of Itachi made me want to yank her by her hair. I looked at her with aggression, she was even more aggravating in real life than expected. She dug her hands sharply into her hips with a sense of condescendence. "Don't you know anything?" _What? Not know about what Itachi did?_

Before I had the opportunity to go on with my stupid act, Sasuke opened his mouth. "She disappeared before the massacre."

_Massacre._ The word sounded even more poisonous and sickening when he said it than any of the other times I had heard it. I sucked in a shaky breath. I didn't want to hear him explain to me what happened, to hear his side of the story. He had made me live through a portion of the pain he had by just referencing it, so how could I listen to his synopsis of that night?

I kneaded my arm anxiously with my hand. "The night I disappeared," I was quick to change the subject. "Is a blur to be honest." It wasn't a lie either. I had no memory of ever willingly leaving them. "I fell asleep in my room and woke up in a hospital." Now I can realize that the nervousness I was showing wasn't part of my act, it was sincere. Under Sasuke's bitter eyes I felt like all I wanted to do was disappear. "I only recently remembered you and Itachi actually." For a moment I pondered playing dumb and asking how his family was, but that would only hurt the situation and Sasuke

Pinching my shoulders high I crossed my arms protectively. "Sasuke." Already my eyes were beginning to sting in final warning of what was to come. "I know about what happened and I am sorry." I looked back up at him through watered down vision. "I am so sorry. Your parents were good people." In the end my voice had ended up in a soft whisper. To be honest I was afraid of how Sasuke would react to me.

There was no way for me to protect myself from him. If Naruto Uzumaki had difficulty keeping his life from the thresholds of death than I was dead where I stood. A pregnant silence hugged the atmosphere as I waited for someone to say something.

"I don't need your sympathies." Another kick in the gut. With caution I made eye contact with Sasuke. "The only thing that comforts me is the thought of ending the life of the one who made me alone in this world. The one who used my entire family as a vessel for his power."

_That isn't true Sasuke! _Everything inside of me was screaming for me to try and explain the truth. Itachi had never _wanted_ to do what he did! But I knew it was more than useless for me to try and explain. To him I was nothing more than a fragment of his memory. I had no information of use to him. My body was already rejecting my existence in that world by dying, it reminded me of the fact that I had no business being there from the beginning. And I had no business tampering with what was meant to happen on its on course of time.

"Listen, Sasuke, don't be offended I was only saying my respects." A bite of anger slipped into my tone of voice. "Your family was good to me and it's only natural for me to say what I did."

The young Uchiha gripped his hand into a tight fist. "What part of this is natural?" His voice ripped through several levels of fury, making his group members turn their heads.

Juugo grasped the escalating boy by the shoulder. "I don't think she meant it that way."

Even Suigetsu was acting more level headed than Sasuke at that point. "Yeah, dude you really need to take a step back." Which of course did nothing more than tick Sasuke off further. He ripped out of Juugo's grip and before I knew it he had recomposed himself. If only he knew how much he resembled Itachi. Everything about them both screamed Uchiha. They truly were brothers.

Sasuke ran his analytical eyes once more over me. As much as I wanted to be angry with him for acting the way he had, I couldn't. After all he didn't know what I did, and what kind of person would I be if I didn't make allowances for him. "I'm glad I have gotten to see you again Sasuke."

A small bit of tension left Sasuke's body. Anybody could tell that he had all systems on alert, but at least he was as ready to kill as before. "We have to get moving."

_Rude prick._

It was easy to tell that Karin was more than joyful to follow Sasuke out of the bakery. Staying behind, Suigetsu quickly exchanged a couple coins for a glazed doughnut. He even added in an unnecessary wink just for effects.

Everything was finally working out. The troublesome foursome was leaving and I was in the clear. All my previous worries were drifting away when Hikaru came out to catch another glimpse at the motley crew. "Hey, Taylor-chan."

"Yeah?"

"Doesn't that boy look an awful lot like Itachi-san?" My blood ran cold as Sasuke abruptly stopped. _Oh no…_

As if it would do any good I clamped my hand over Hikaru's mouth. Seeing my horrified expression he immediately knew he had done something wrong. "Go and get Aki, now!" I said quickly under my breath.

Pulling my hand from over his mouth his face reflected my own. "He left to go into town a few minutes ago!"

"Where is he?" I brought Hikaru into a protective clutch. Sasuke was approaching the front counter again.

"Sasuke, Hikaru didn-" He rounded the cash register and tore Hikaru from my arms. From the force I smacked into the wall behind me. Trying to keep my bearings I pushed myself back at Sasuke. Sooner than I could even get my hands back on Hikaru Sasuke threw me back into the wall again, this time with a more force.

Blood rushed to my head and darkness momentarily swallowed my eyesight. After a few seconds my vision was back and Sasuke had Hikaru pinned against the glass gallery. "You've seen him, haven't you?" With all his might, I could see Hikaru trying to pull away from the taller boy. Sasuke must've tightened his grip because Hikaru's face scrunched in pain.

"I-I don't know." At the sound of the fear in his voice Sasuke quickly whipped out a kunai. With a sharp implement pointed at your throat I'm sure there are very few eight-year olds that I knew that would be able to function properly under such circumstances.

In a low and threatening voice Sasuke growled. "Tell me where he is!" From the side I could barely make it out, but I still saw it. Sasuke had activated his sharingan.

Hikaru's shaky eyes glanced over to me. "I'm scared, Taylor." His voice sounded just as watery and his eyes looked. Every bit of his body was shaking.

"Sasuke! Let him go!" I tried to sound as intimidating as possible as I stood again. "What are you going to get from threatening a child? Have you sunken that low?"

He turned his powerful eyes onto me then. Whirling around he held both Hikaru close to his body and the kunai close to Hikaru's neck. My body froze. Sasuke was too reasonable to be doing this. Was he really that obsessed with revenge to go this far? "He might not know, but you must."

Sasuke was gripping the kunai so tightly that his knuckles had turned into a menacing shade of white. "You were always so fond of my brother, what with always being by his side." My eyes left the kunai for a mere second to check if Sasuke had any sanity left in his eyes. Luckily I could just see anger. "I wonder if you are still so infatuated with him, after all he has done."

"Sasuke-"

"You must think he would've spared you." Locking my eyes with his, he knew he finally gotten me. "If you hadn't disappeared so mysteriously, do you honestly believe that my brother wouldn't have slaughtered you if he had done so to his entire _clan_? What delusion do you have saved of him that would make you honestly believe you were actually special to him at any point? You were nothing but a nuisance to all of us, and nobody wanted an orphan like _you_. Itachi would have killed you too. Why protect him?"

I knew that Sasuke was mainly speaking out of anger and madness a small part of me did wonder if anything that he said had any truth to it. Itachi had killed his closest family, what would've stopped him for taking me out too. _Don't believe that!_ "Sasuke, I haven't seen Itachi since the night before I disappeared." Catching myself looking into Sasuke's sharingan, I focused myself onto Hikaru's face. The last thing I needed was letting Sasuke peek into my mind.

The kunai was pressed farther against Hikaru's neck. A small trickle of blood ran down "Then why did I hear him say his name?"

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to seem reluctant to say it. "B-Because… I-I used to tell him stories of Itachi and you when he was younger." I held my breath as I hoped he wouldn't catch the lie. After all I had told him only moments before that I had just _recently_ remembered him and his brother. Taking one last final chance I looked Sasuke straight in the eyes and told him. "Please, just let my son go."

"That's your _son_?" I heard Suigetsu nearly scream in the distance, so did Sasuke by the way he looked at his comrade. Sasuke then looked from Hikaru to me several times.

His eyes narrowed through suspicion. "You're lying."

"Mommy." Hikaru whimpered convincingly.

"Honey, it's going to be okay."

"You're wasting my time!" Sasuke thrust Hikaru away from him and onto the floor, leaving him a sputtering mess. Instead he started coming after me. Not bothering trying to run, I let Sasuke grab me be the face and aim his weapon at my own throat. "Just tell me what you know." He ground out each word through gritted teeth.

"What the _fuck_ do you think you're doing to my woman?" Hidan blustered into the room. Not that he was stopping me from actually giving into Itachi's pretentious little brother. I may have spat in his face, that was about it. But it was still very convenient for him to show up once again.

Sasuke dropped me and faced Hidan. "Who the hell are you?"

Hidan looked me over, more than likely looking for any signs of distress or injury. "Her husband." Everyone in the room looked at him, including me. "Mind telling me what exactly in the hell you were just doing?" He shoved through Sasuke's groupies with next to no effort.

Slickly Sasuke slid his kunai back out of eyesight. "That is none of your concern."

Hidan gripped the front of Sasuke's. "Listen you smug little fuck, when you mess with my wife and family, you better have a seriously damn good excuse." Still slightly shocked by what he was spewing from his mouth I walked over to him. "Hidan, just let'im go."

Obeying my request he released Sasuke with a shove. Sasuke caught a glimpse of Hidan and my's matching Jashinist pendants. "It seems you were telling the truth." _Let's go with that._ "Sorry for causing you grief, Taylor." His voice still had a chill of ice to it, but seeing at what he had just pulled, all I wanted as for him to leave as soon as possible.

As Sasuke was still making his leave, Hidan's hand flew around my back and hugged my waist in a possessive manner. He made quiet, angry murmurs about Sasuke and Itachi being alike in more bad ways than good. Shockingly after that Sasuke was just gone then. Even after he was gone though, Hidan still left his arm linger around me. When Hikaru gave a groan from the floor Hidan leaned slightly forward to peek at him. "Shit. What happened to you?"

I tried to ignore the fact that I had just been too preoccupied with the placement of Hidan's hand to remember Hikaru. "Hikaru!" Racing down to his side I lifted his head up gently. I peeked at the cut on his neck. Thankfully it wasn't anything serious.

"That little Uchiha shit really messed with you guys, didn't he?"

I slowly nodded my head. "Wait." My hand went up into a 'hold-up-a-second' fashion. "How did you know he was an Uchiha?"

Hidan slid his hands into his pockets. "Itachi sent me back, saying that his brother was probably going to be causing problems." He looked towards the bakery entrance. "I didn't really believe him though. I heard he took out his entire family and left no survivors." With a careless shrug he looked back down to me. "You okay?"

Taking in a long deep breath I allowed myself to relax. Everything was under control. Hidan had saved the day, and although Hikaru had gotten a bit roughed up, we were all okay. Which reminded me of another point of interest. "So Hidan." Hidan was leaning down, scooping Hikaru from the floor.

"Hmm?" He offered me a quick hand to get me up from the floor.

"When did we get married?

Something caught in his throat and he gave a loud cough. "I can explain." Assuming I would show him where to lay Hikaru down. We were heading up the stairs when he said, "I was standing outside listening, and I figured I'd just play along for ya." I took notice to the fact that he was no longer wearing the trademark cloak. Of course, that probably would've given him away. He was wearing a shirt for once though.

We headed into Aki's room, that's where Hikaru always slept, and as I watched Hidan lay him down like a true father I laughed quietly to myself. "Oh, so it was just for me, huh?" I leaned against the door frame as his wine colored eyes glided to me. He kept his distance from me, leaving me alone in my personal space. My cocky smile lost its edge as I squirmed slightly from the look he was giving me. He was thinking about what to say, I knew by just looking at him.

Hidan shook his head and gave me a poised smirk. I snorted lightly, loving his attitude. "What?"

"So what if, I wanted to say it?"

My breathed hitched. "What do you mean?"

He took the couple of steps that were between us and closed them, inserting himself into my bubble again. "It sounded nice." His hand cradled my cheek. "Didn't it? You being my wife." My own hand laid itself over his.

It did have a nice sound to it. I didn't hate it at all, but I shook my head. "You don't mean that."

His eyebrows furrowed together. "Why not?"

Tenderly moving his hand from my face. "Hidan, you have to love someone to say something like that." An angry expression came over him. I didn't know what I had said to make him look like that. He was Hidan, he didn't love me even if I honestly wanted him to. I had unknowingly focused my attention somewhere else because Hidan pulled my face back towards him by my chin. I looked to his eyes but his eyes were trained in on my lips.

His thumb trailed my bottom lip. I instinctively opened my mouth on a miniscule level. Taking advantage of the moment he wasted no time to press himself against me. I'm sure my lips felt cold to him because he was blazing hot. The door frame made my back ache from being pinned my Hidan's body. His hands tried pulling me even closer to him by the hips. I on the other hand didn't know what to do with my hands so I just held them in the air like I had been caught in the middle of a vigorous story. Not to say that I wasn't just as enthusiastic about being able to explore Hidan's lips with my own

When he realized that I was just about near suffocating, he parted himself from me at the lips. It was like he didn't dare let any other part of me go. "Taylor." He kissed me again. "I-" He touched his forehead to mine. "I love you."

That was when I knew what do to with my hands. I put the on either side of his face. Those three words sounded so surreal. He felt surreal to me. Less than ten hours previous I had been in my own world sitting in a hospital bed. I was dying but at that moment I felt so alive and completely forgot about all of my pains. "Hidan, I think I love you too."

Hidan went in for another kiss but stopped as his lips lightly brushed mine. He cranked his head back. "Wait. You 'think'?" Had I said that? His eyes pierced through me as he stepped away from me.

All of the warmth and assurance I had just felt left me. "I said 'I love you too,' didn't I?"

Lifting a finger he wagged in back and forth, "No. No, you said that you _think_ you love me too."

One of my hands slapped my thigh irritably. "What's the difference."

With absolute perfect posture Hidan looked down at me with scorn. "It's Uchiha. Isn't it?"

My heart sank. "Hidan." I said his name but it was more like "You're being ridiculous".

"Is it?" He pressed farther. I pressed my lips into a tight line, I was slightly afraid of the answer because I didn't know. Itachi and I had shared a kiss early too.

Hidan heaved a sigh. "Listen. I don't really want to know." He scratched at his ear. "Look, all I know is that you're the nicest thing I've ever seen. What I _do_ want is to be able to see you more. It shook me up to see you just lying in your bed like you were dead for so long. It made me realize," He played with my pendant in his hand. "You won't live forever." I found two things about that amusing. One, that he said 'you' instead of 'we' and that he had no idea about how long I was going to live.

Neither did I.

"You're right."

"Fuck yeah!" For some reason his voice gained some excitement back. "From now on, whether it's rain or shine I'm going to be in this shit hole to see you. Uchiha or not." I rolled my eyes at the fact that that sounded like such a cliché _Backstreet Boys_ line. Well, minus the 'shit hole' part.

I smiled as he scoffed at the sleeping Hikaru. "That kid better grow some balls if he wants to make something of himself." Mainly because he sounded so much like a dad right then.

And for some reason, Hikaru just did not like Hidan.

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**So, I do believe this is a good amount of words to leave you people with this time. I may or may not go back and fix a couple parts about the ending. PLEASE~ give me your full criticism on this chapter! Did I get rid of Sasuke too fast, not good enough, just an awkward chapter, what? So thanks for all the reviews so far! They mean a lot to me! :D you know the drill~ Review for Love- NSR**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

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It didn't take long for Hikaru to come to his senses. That night he absolutely refused to sleep in Aki's bed. Instead he demanded to sleep with me with the door locked. Not that I blamed him. Sasuke was tough enough to look at without having nightmares. To have close violent encounters with him was a whole different matter all of its own. Hidan promised to keep a watch out for the night, just in case Sasuke decided to make a quick return.

Never before had I thought it was necessary for Naruto to use 'teme' in association with his 'friend'. Of course that is why I used the word 'before'.

I didn't get much sleep. Whether it was because I had bad nerves or just that I wasn't really tired, I'm not to sure. The few hours that I did get clocked in were dark and desolate. Not one single peek at my hospital room or even a second of an actual dream. That bothered me as well. Every night beforehand I had quickly switched realities, there shouldn't have been much difference. But there I was crawling out of bed in the wee hours of the morning to give my body a stretch.

_Your body is probably just resting. It's not healthy to keep jumping back and forth if your body isn't strong enough._

That's what I kept telling myself.

Hikaru was more than dead as I crept out of the room. He didn't even flinch when I snuck out. The building was completely silent. For the first time I could hear the house talking around me. My feet padding against the wood while the wind made the framing creek. The piping clicked quietly deep inside the walls. I felt like if I even breathed too heavily that Aki would come storming downstairs to tell me how loud I was. Eventually I did make it to the hardly ever used back door.

Softly I snuck out through the small pathway between Aki's place and the neighboring building. There was no need to alert Hidan and get him into a fuss. Plus all I needed was some fresh air to refresh my body. After I got a certain distance away from Aki's I started running. I probably ran for a minute or so before my lungs refused to pump the needed oxygen anymore.

With pain running into every crevice of my chest I found myself clutching my chest. "Shit, I'm out of shape." _That's all this is._ Straightening myself out I threw my head back and held my hips. "Jesus." I was still wheezing.

The stars were so beautiful that night. They were so clear. I'd never seen so many in my entire life. Not a single painting in all of the museums of the world could've captured the stars against their black canvas. Naturally I started searching the heavens for the one thing I knew about astrology. Astronomy? The stars. I knew one thing about the stars.

The Big Dipper. Although it always seemed to be in a different spot, it was always there. No matter which way I turned, I couldn't seem find it. Out of all the constellations watching down over me, not one of them was one I'd recognize. So which one of the little twinkling lights was my home? But it seemed too illogical that where ever I was _wasn't_ Earth.

_You're thinking too much._

There I was standing alone in the middle of an unfamiliar street, in the middle of the night, staring into the sky with several unanswerable questions. Cue the rain! There wasn't a cloud in sight though. The night was just too stunning for something like a cloud to try and ruin it.

Sooner or later I started moving again. I had a vague idea of where I was. Not to say that it wouldn't take me a good bit of time to find my way back. It wasn't like I was losing any sleep over it. My meandering brought me to the opposite side of town than I was used. This one had a large gate as well.

Right outside of the gate stood a sign with arrows pointing in every which way. I was slightly amazed that the large gate wasn't shut at night for protection of the small town. Maybe that was just left for major shinobi villages like Konoha. As I neared the sign I could make out different village symbols.

There was Suna. Ame. Kiri. Kumo. Iwa. A bunch of others I couldn't really decipher, and then somewhere in the mess was the own I was most familiar with. Konoha.

I looked down the path pointing in the direction of the Leaf Village. How far was it from where I stood? My neck twitched, and I instinctively looked over my shoulder. After a second I set my sights back on the trail before me. What was the village like now? Granted I didn't exactly remember it much, I still should've been able to look around and say something like 'Everything was so much bigger when I was little'. Or, you know, something like that.

I went a couple yards down the dirt road and continued to stare off into the distance. Somehow Sasuke shoved himself into my thoughts and his words echoed through me. _Itachi would've killed you too!_ There was a pain in my heart.

That wasn't true. Itachi wasn't a mindless killer. He _had_ to do what he did. _Do you honestly believe that my brother wouldn't have slaughtered you if he had done so to his entire __**clan**__? _

"Taylor." My silent replay stopped and I turned around. Itachi was standing a little ways behind the sign.

Why was he there? "What are you doing at this time of night?" I asked, suddenly feeling the chill in the air.

"I could ask you the same thing." He didn't even look at the sign before he said, "What are you going to do in Konoha?"

For some reason I felt ashamed. My eyes fell to the scenery around me before I looked him in the eyes again. "No- I was just… I wasn't-" My hands tried to make up for my lack of words in flailing motions. Nevertheless Itachi walked towards me, obviously not actually listening to my attempts at excuses. He reached out to me in an almost comforting manner. When his hand landed on my shoulder my body shuddered in a flinch, leaving a couple inches between us.

I squeezed my eyes shut, not able to handle the look that might've been on his face.

"I see my brother held conversation with you." The pressure around my eyes released and I made myself look to Itachi's face. He was looking at me in a way that didn't say sadness. It said dead. They were the eyes I saw on him back on the day I decorated him in flour. He was misunderstanding why I flinched.

I wasn't actually afraid of him. It was like watching a scary movie before you go to bed. You don't actually believe there is someone chasing you up the stairs, but you're hyped up so your body just reacts and runs! By the time I had talked myself through what Itachi had said he was already walking away. "No, Itachi!"

He didn't stop and he didn't go any faster. "Itachi! It's not like that! I already knew!" That stopped him. "Nothing of what Sasuke-"

"You've known all this time?" Itachi faced me again. Under the cover of night it was hard to tell but I think his eyes were wider than before. His tone went flat, "That is difficult to believe."

I shook my head in a sad manner. It was hard to believe. He didn't know that I knew the ulterior motive that no one else did. What could I say that would convince him that no matter what sins were burdening him, it didn't effect my image of him. He would always hold a piece of me that no one else could touch.

In the middle of the road, Itachi stood watching and waiting for me to give some sort of reply. Our breaths lingered for a couple seconds in front of us. Itachi was such a silent man. Saying nothing and never letting his stoicism crack. Somehow that night I could read him like never before. The way he just stood there told me he was waiting for me to convince him he wasn't alone.

I just didn't know how.

"Why are you out here anyways?" My only hope was to try and divert his attention and lessen his guard.

"I came to switch positions with Hidan." He paused. "If anyone is to stop Sasuke from doing something reckless, it should be me." His words weren't that of someone who just slaughters his loved ones on a whim. Itachi cared about his brother still.

"He looks like you." I muttered. "Hikaru said so even."

Itachi was looking at me, but he really wasn't. I could tell he was thinking of his brother, trying to put the pieces together of who his sibling had turned into. "I destroyed him." There was no denying that.

"Itachi, you love him." They should've sounded sweet and comforting but it kind of sounded like I was accusing him of it. He refocused on me yet he said nothing. We stood there on the road that led to our the place of our past staring at each other.

"None of that matters anymore."

The distance between us, I couldn't stand it. Hesitantly I started towards him. The only thing I could think of was a song I had once heard in a movie. _God help the outcasts, or nobody will._ That's what the Akatsuki were. Yes, they were criminals worthy of terrible punishments- but they were outcasts as well.

I grabbed Itachi's hand. _Show them the mercy, they don't find on Earth_. As if it took courage to even be touching him I clutched his hand tightly, which earned a slightly perplexed look from Itachi. He seemed like he wanted me to explain my movements. I didn't. Actions speak louder than words. So I began tugging at his hand in attempts to get him to follow me home. He just stood there in that spot staring at me.

"How can you still stand to be near me?" His question broke my heart. And just like I had wanted to with Sasuke I wanted to explain everything to Itachi. It was like Itachi himself believed the lie.

Pulling his hand close to myself I managed a smile. "How can I not be near you?" Not seeming to have convinced him I tried another approach. "Itachi, if I had to do something _horrible_, and I became an outcast. Would you not be able to look at me the same way."

He knew where I was going with it. Sighing softly he reached out and touched my cheek. "Of course not."

I leaned into his touch. "Then how could you believe that I would ever do the same to you?"

Itachi smiled. Not a huge, gigantic, _Teletubby_ smile, but a smile nonetheless. Which let me relax because he was back. My Itchy was standing in front of me again. He stepped forward and ran his hand down over my head. "You never cease to amaze me." Our bodies weren't making full on contact, we were just close enough for me to be able to smell him. Itachi kept almost petting me as his fingers practically combed my hair. I remembered doing this in the past with him often.

I'd clutch onto him after making some minute accomplishment and he would just pat me on the head. Instinctively I latched my arms around his midsection and nuzzled my face against him like he was my personal pillow. It made me giggle as I imagined his face. This Itachi was like a revelation. Never in my life had I ever believed this man would be anything different than the typical 'I'm so cool because I don't talk' type of guy, with a scary past mixed in with him. There I was though, face-cuddling him in some cliché moment of nostalgia. And, I was totally okay with that.

Itachi gave me a quick pat on the back, the international sign for 'let go'. Slightly embarrassed of my holding him, I jumped away from him. Showing a rare expression of amusement he headed back to town. He told me that it was past my bedtime. Which was bull considering it was a rule that whenever you don't have parental supervision there was no set bedtime.

Surely enough Itachi knew a shortcut home and not like the typical shortcut. His involved no scary looking alleyways that made you question your safety. I'm sure I had nothing to worry about with Itachi of course. It's funny to think there are the natural looking thugs who just appear to be able to crush a man in half, then there are pretty boys like Itachi who just radiate 'fuck off'.

My sister would've lapped up Itachi in no time. She always had a taste for beautiful people ever since she was little. And there was no question in my mind as to whether or not my parents would like him. He was a mannerly gentleman who was my childhood companion. It made my heart sink when I thought of the fact that they'd never be able to meet him.

Itachi walked in front of me with an air about him that could simply be described as charisma and allure. I didn't want to leave him again. "Don't fall behind." Taking a couple quick strides I side glanced Itachi. When would be the last I'd see him? For all I knew that was the last time I would have had the pleasure to be by his side.

I saw Itachi glance at me from the corner of his eye. "Something is bothering you." He wasn't asking either, he just knew.

I wasn't going to tell him. Ever. "I'm just worried about Hikaru." I lied with a small beam. I don't know if he believed me or not. Maybe he just let me slide because he could sense that I didn't want to talk about it. Which ever way, he didn't speak again.

We were closing in on the bakery when I began to feel my body aching again. My eyes were holding the baggage of several sleepless nights and I knew I needed to get to bed. But there was Itachi, standing beside me in all of his handsome glory, and I didn't want to sleep. I was afraid I wouldn't wake up.

"You need to get to bed." He brushed his thumb over my cheek, making my eyes close in response.

"I know." I mumbled. All I did though was stare groggily at Itachi as I started rocking back and forth to the rhythm of my heartbeat. He let me blink at me nearly fifty times before Itachi finally turned me around and gave me a light push towards the bakery.

Trudging to the path to the back door I peeked once more over my shoulder. Itachi was still looking up at the sky just as I had the as well. I couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking about. Was he wondering where is family was too?

I couldn't dwell very long on that thought because somewhere near by a cat knocked over a trashcan sending a loud yelp into the night. Naturally with the luck I had I heard Hidan on the roof moving around. Although I was in the safety of the shadows, Itachi stood in the moonlight for all to see.

"What the fuck are you doing here, Uchiha?" Hidan growled overhead. I slunk farther towards the backdoor. Itachi was a big boy, he could handle himself, especially since both of their motive was to not keep me awake.

Unaware of my presence in the darkness Hidan hopped down from the roof like 50 feet was nothing. He started picking a fight with his raven haired rival. They really were a scene standing next to each other. Taking in one final mental picture of them I closed my eyes and went inside for bed.

I crawled back into bed with Hikaru still fast asleep, careful not to wake him. Shutting my eyes I could see Hidan and Itachi outside and I felt content.

_Now I lay me down to sleep,_

_I pray the Lord my soul to keep,_

_thy angels watch me through the night,_

_And keep me safe till morning's light_

It was true. As long as my body stayed stable until morning, I had my own personal guardian angels keeping me safe.

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**Woo! Albeit it is on the short side, I updated pretty quickly right? I feel accomplished I almost made it end differently, but then it would've interfered with my next chapter that I already have done! :D I just have to make a few adjustments and it should be up and running in the next couple of days! Sooo~ How's our Itchy doin in the lovedometer? Well that was incredibly cheesy... Enough! Thank you guys so much for the reviews so far, I love them all so much XD Sooo~ review for love! ~NSR**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Have you ever drunken vinegar? It burns like hell. Makes you feel like your throat is disintegrating. That is probably the closest thing I can relate to how I felt when I woke up the next morning. I clutched my throat and tried to cover my mouth as my body heaved from coughing. I don't really know what causes coughing other than something 'going down the wrong pipe'. I guess trying to rest peacefully will do the trick though.

It took a while for me to get myself under control. Afterwards I let my hand lay still over my mouth to make sure that every ounce of wheezing was out of my system. Luckily for me Hikaru had apparently went downstairs ahead of me. Otherwise he would've had a nasty wake up call.

The sun blazed into my room and made success in the way of blinding me. Somebody must've taken my rug down when I was unconscious for a couple days. "Oh God." I kneaded my eyes with the palms of my hands. There was a heaviness to my body indicating that I had slept in way too late.

Forcing myself up and out of bed my feet hit the floor with a thick thud. My legs had more than their usual amount of stiffness in them, it was hard to get them moving actually. I didn't find myself in a real dilemma until I had to head down the staircase. I nearly collapsed by the time I got to the bottom of our seventeen stairs.

You know what though, it couldn't have been that bad. I mean I was walking.

Surprisingly there wasn't a soul in sight. The lights were off in the kitchen and the shop was still closed. Evading an eerie chill I made myself some coffee. Fitting my hand through the handle and around the mug I took it with me to an empty booth. Instantly my body relaxed into the seat.

I had drank coffee in the shop a couple of times before, usually to try and reach my senses in the morning. Coffee always tasted nasty to me, like someone poured mud on my tongue, but it was either coffee or going for a jog. Jogging was too much work so I had to settle for the bitter drink.

It wasn't all bad. Coffee kind of helped with the stiffness of my body, on the other hand my discomfort was keeping me from having to go on errands for Aki. Even though by the time he got to me I was pretty much okay, Aki still left me alone, which was even weirder. Plus the coffee tasted better with each. Then again the only reason I desperate enough to drink coffee was because I was stiff possibly from my failing health.

Okay, screw it. Coffee _sucks_ no matter what.

I dumped another spoon full of sugar into my mug. My mom always got her panties in a bunch when I put so much sugar in my tea. 'Course she probably wouldn't be thinking of my drink. Considering I was living with a male stranger and associating with murderers, the amount of glucose in my coffee more than likely wouldn't be the subject of discussion.

"You're up." Aki passed me. I lifted the mug to my lips, only surrendering a low grunt. The brunette shoved the shop's door up to the ceiling after a freeing a few locks.

An orange glow lit the streets. Almost drunkenly a tabby cat moseyed past the door. In attempts to grab it's attention I snapped my fingers. Its pace slowed to a stop as it's head turned to me. "Pss pss pss" I rubbed my fingers together. The lazy cat sat down, not seeming too amused by my actions.

"Here Kitty-Kitty." I cooed.

"That cat doesn't look like he's coming over." Aki snorted.

It's just like men to go and try and ruin my joy. "Shut up." I growled. Animals were something I loved with a passion. I didn't really care if the cat ended up walking away. He was cute just watching me like I was an idiot. "Kitty" My voice was barely whispered.

Sitting back I rubber necked around to see Aki counting his money behind the cash register. "Where were you, so early in the morning?"

I heard the shifting of bills hesitate quickly. "It is two in the afternoon." I set my coffee mug down dramatically before whirling around.

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

He placed the bills into their slots in the machine. When he shut the drawer in made a little _ding_. "You think I don't have better things to do than to wake you up?" Aki walked out around the counter again. I did feel slightly guilty trying to impose even more burden onto him. Lowering my eyes I thumbed my shirt's seam.

Aki slid into the booth with a grunt. He set his head back against the tall backboard and sighed. "That kid has so much energy." He said it with a way that made him sound annoyed but he didn't look that upset. If anything he seemed a little relaxed. That is compared to when I first met him I'd say he had been knocked down a couple of notches on the asshole-meter.

I supported my head with my hand. "Where is he anyways?"

He reached across and pulled my mug over to him. "He went out back while I ran some odd jobs." He inspected the contents of the coffee before he slurped a large portion of my drink.

My eyebrows shot up. "Odd jobs? Like errands?" I snorted. "I can't believe you didn't just wait for me to wake up." For the first time I saw Aki's eyes shift. He was hiding something.

He caught my smirk, challenging it with a hateful glower. "What?"

I shrugged sarcastically before saying "Just wondering," I leaned onto my elbows. "What kind of errands." I swear on my life, Aki blushed for a second. It wasn't too long before it was gone though and I was left with just a nasty look.

"Fine, don't tell me." I pointed my finger at him as if I was making a gun. "Sooner or later I will-"

"Taylor-san." A voice wailed behind me.

I twisted around in my seat. Hikaru was barely a step behind me, tears streaming from his eyes steadily. Alarmed I fell to my knees to be eye level with him. "Hikaru, what's wrong?" I grabbed him by the shoulders and started looking him up and down worriedly.

He brought a small fist to his watery eyes. "I-I got fell!" His knees was scratched up pretty badly. Nothing completely serious but for a kid his age it looked like it hurt pretty bad.

"What were you doing? Pole-vaulting?" I was trying to cheer him up, but it only made him sob louder. I pulled him closer and rubbed his back. "It's okay."

I went to look at Aki but he was already heading back to the kitchen. Within seconds he was back with a first-aid kit. Hikaru sat on my lap his knees facing the kneeling Aki. He looked up quickly at Hikaru. "This will sting a little, but only for a second." He tipped a brown bottle upside down with a cotton ball clogging the top.

Gingerly he began dabbing the scrape and Hikaru dug his nails into my arm. Squeezing my eyes shut I let him grip as hard as he could. To be honest I was just relieved he wasn't screaming again. Thankfully Aki was done quickly and Hikaru had a white bandage wrapped around his knee.

I wrapped my arms around Hikaru pecking him on the cheek. "Wow! I can't believe how tough you were!" I don't think he really heard me though because he was limp in my arms in an instant. By the time Aki had put the first aid kit back Hikaru was completely asleep again. I never knew it took so much energy to cry.

I leaned back in my seat, bringing Hikaru's head to my shoulder. With him in a more portable position, I slid from the booth. Even for as small as he was, the boy still pressed my butt pretty hard in the not-so-comfortable seat. I carried him on my hip past a busy Aki and back the hallway. Aside from the staircase that lead to the second floor, there was a small living room back the small hallway. There was a couch, TV, and other assorted things for relaxing in the room.

Instead of the rough plopping down I usually did to take a seat, I gently sat down as to not disturb the sleeping boy. I rested him in what I thought would be a comfortable position. The couch made my eyes feel even heavier than they had when I'd first sat down. I really needed sleeping pills or something. Or maybe if someone just knocked me out. "Yeah knock me out. Maybe then I'll sleep all night." I mumbled as I lay my head back.

Struggling to stay awake I rolled my eyes back open. Instead of finding a nice white ceiling waiting to sooth me, I came eye to eye with a pair of raspberry colored orbs. A hand clamped over my mouth. "He's still sleeping." Hidan said in a 'are-you-stupid?' kind of way.

I was thinking of biting his palm but I figured he'd probably enjoy it. Eventually he let go. He leaned his elbows on the back of the couch. "How'd you get it in here?" I hissed under my breath.

The Jashinist nonchalantly scratched his neck. "You really think that baker noticed me?"

"So is everyone waiting?" I looked back down at Hikaru. "Well I'd better wake him up. He'd hate to-"

"No one else is here." Incredulously I blinked up at Hidan. Before I could even ask him to make a repetition he smacked the back of my head. "No one else is here, you damn woman!"

Impulse from past smacks in the head, I reached back and decked him in the chest. Anger rippled through my body. "Don't smack me in the head." I whispered, making my words barely understandable both from my low voice and the speed of the sentence. I'm sure that punch didn't affect him despite the fact that I hit him with my right hand.

Hidan muttered a few things out of context. "Say again?" I shot a glare over my shoulder.

I could just feel the kidish mocking expressions he was making. He circled the couch and plopped down on the couch. The exact way I had tried to avoid. I shot him another look. When he threw his hands in the air in a "What?" fashion, I just shrugged my head towards Hikaru. Hidan rolled his eyes heatedly. "He's a big boy."

Running low on patience I took a large breath. I decided to take what little tolerance I had for Hidan left and put it towards Hikaru's sake. "Hidan. Hikaru is still little. He still needs people to hold him."

Hidan snorted. His obvious displeasure was grinding my nerves to no end. "Shouldn't girls your age care about their image? Not some kid."

I grit my teeth into a smile. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Okay, I didn't mean anything by it. So don't go all bitchazoid on me!"

Still more than sour I snuck out from under the sleeping boy. "Whatever." I huffed. I felt as if I was back in the second grade and a teacher had caught me doing something bad. Unable to stomach the reprimanding atmosphere around me, I pushed Hidan out of the small hall way. "Aki!" I called out. In my eyes, Aki was my ticket away from another awkward situation. "Aki, where are-"

"Hello." Aki greeted. He stood in the kitchen doorway. He had his own coffee mug in one hand and his other arm rest against the door frame. All the while he sipped from his mug he never took his eyes off of Hidan and me. "So," Aki wagged an occupied finger between the Hidan and me. "Did you two have a… slumber party last night?"

My skin froze up as Goosebumps engulfed every inch of my flesh. Hidan started laughing almost to the point of making it maniacal. "N-No! H-Hidan slid past-" I struggled to babble out an excuse.

A heavy arm dropped around my neck. Hidan's laughter hadn't died down even a bit. "Better believe it You wouldn't believe what this girl does behind closed doors!" His hand trailed over my arm and onto my hip. In no time Aki joined in on laughing too. Probably because of the embarrassed expression that was raging across my face. "Aw, look." Hidan pinched my cheek. "She's blushing."

"Get off of me!" I whipped the back of my hand into his stomach. His laughter didn't stop but he did let me go so he could wrap his arms around his gut. I shoved past Aki and got out of that building as fast as I could. That is until I realized that no shops were open in town yet. In more of a huff then when I left, I trudged back into the shop. Aki and Hidan awaited behind the counter for me.

"Shut up!" My voice broke into pieces.

Aki and Hidan went off into another fit. Only furthering my embarrassment. Hidan strolled over to me, almost falling with every step. Clearly his humor was impairing his ability to maneuver. "I'm sorry, Taylor. You're just such an easy target!" He laid a hand on my shoulder. His wolfish grin caused a flutter to flare in my stomach.

I stomped my foot before I rolled my eyes. "Whatever."

His smile lost its edge. "You're mad?"

Hidan's hand fell off my shoulder when I rolled my shoulders back. "No." If it had been me doing the same thing to anyone else I probably would've found it hysterical. I was still agitated though.

And the smile was back. "Oh, shut the fuck up." He roughly rustled my hair. He craned his neck back to Aki. "Hey, I gotta run to get something. Mind if I drag this whore along with me?" My mouth fell open when I heard him refer to me as a whore. Aki waved us away, obviously amused by Hidan. _Well somebody has a new best friend._ Sometimes I really missed the old, anal Aki.

Hidan slug me again by dropping his heavy arm over my shoulders. Forcibly he started us out the door. I waited until we were a ways into the street to ask him where exactly we were going. That evidently popped his happy bubble because he definitely turned his smile upside down. "Fucking Kakuzu."

He aggressively ripped his arm away from my neck, giving me slight whiplash. Ransacking his entire cloak he eventually pulled an envelope from one of his many pockets. Giving it a quick wave he sneered. "That bastard is using me to get money out of people." He shoved it less than carefully back into a pocket.

"I'm so sick of his greedy ass. All he does is think of how to make money." Hidan gripped the air in front of him "It's the godless heathens like him that roam this planet that get me fucking pissed." Practically bleeding rage he took a large breath and gave his pendant a kiss. "May Jashin-sama lacerate each sinner where they stand." His tirade almost made me sick to my stomach. Yet he still managed to give me a attractive smile. "It was my faith that let me find you."

His sweetness made me realize that he truly believed that I was a fellow Jashinist. God forbid he ever find out that I really wasn't. That might be my final hour. It wasn't really hard for me to believe he'd kill me. I mean, the man loved his religion. Not to say that I wouldn't love my religion if it gave me eternal life. That'd be pretty freaking sweet.

Hidan stopped in front of a very nice looking building. He looked from the envelope to the building. "This is it." The serious look he held told me that I was to stay outside. He ducked into a narrow alley way motioned for me to stand at the mouth of it. The place didn't seem all too clean. Or should I say it looked like the perfect scene for a meth lab. There was a puddle of god-knows-what at my feet and shady people occupied the rest of the street. I could just see Michael Weston striding in for some blackmail.

I didn't stand outside for too long before Hidan returned with a suitcase in hand. It looked so out of place in his hand. "Where to now?"

He examined the suitcase crossly. "I guess I have to take this to Kakuzu."

"Can I come?"

Throwing the suitcase over his shoulder he let out a loud cackle. "Hell yeah!" He seemed pretty excited. "I can't wait to see the look Pretty Boy gets on his face when you show up with me."

_I'm going to get to see where Itachi lives._ I bit my lip gleefully before I bit down with concern. Itachi lives with the Akatsuki. The Akatsuki included Pein and Konan. I still hadn't met them personally, but from what I had read I really didn't believe Pein would like me too much. I wasn't some Naruto prancing around with self-motivation and an astonishing destiny. Plus there was Kakuzu too. He just plain out scared me.

"Hidan." My voice rose nervously. "Do you really think I should go?"

He threw his back in a frustrated fashion. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Won't somebody get upset?"

"Nobody in the Akatsuki would give enough of a fuck to do anything."

I hoped he was right.

We headed down the path I had first taken when I arrived. _So that's where they were going._ When I first met Hidan he and Kakuzu were walking the same way Hidan and I were. They had to have been heading to back to the headquarters or whatever.

It seemed like it had been such a long time since I first woke up in the forest. Hidan had actually been my first encounter. Not saying that it was the most pleasant experience I had ever had considering he had chased me down with the intent to kill or severely injure. "Taylor."

With my attention snapped back to reality I found I had strayed several feet from his side. He leaned over and yanked me back by the arm. "If you don't stay close to me someone could jump you." Even after he got me closer to him he still left his hand touching me. I hummed out a laugh. He was such a kid.

The path wound on and on sending us farther and farther into the woods. I almost asked him a couple times if he knew where he was going. I figured though that if I was high caliber criminals I probably wouldn't my hideout somewhere people would look for it. Then I thought, unless it would be more likely for it to be out of sight, then at that point I would want it close to town. Do the unexpected. Then I knew I was thinking too much.

Just when I felt a slight pang in my side Hidan came to a halt. Forgetting about the pain I looked around. There was nothing there. We were in the middle of the woods, not even on the path anymore. Hidan bent over and I got a peek over his shoulder. He revealed a keypad from under a patch of moss. Jabbing a quick code into it he recovered it and stood back up.

The ground trembled faintly beneath me. To keep my bearings I held onto Hidan's sleeve. I should've seen it coming when the ground opened up and an elevator appeared. "What the hell?"

I let go of Hidan to examine it. When I got close enough it opened. _Ping._ Hidan came up behind me and pushed me in with his hand on the lower of my back. "It's not gonna bite you." He chuckled darkly.

The doors shut and a light flickered above us. It quivered and struggled to give us any light at all. Okay, so I didn't expect an underground elevator. I was punk'd.

Quicker than I expected the doors opened again to show a kitchen. I had the feeling of really wanting to scream _'A kitchen? Really?'_ It was just so normal. The least they could've had was some dark pit before you stepped out so that if you didn't know better you'd fall to your death. How positively boring.

"Home sweet home." He pulled me close by around the neck. "Nice, isn't it." All I could do was smile and shrug. "You fucking brat." Hidan laughed as if insulting me was his ecstasy. "I have to take Kakuzu his money," He kissed the top of my head unexpectedly. As if he was checking my reaction he ducked his head down to look at my face. He smirked when he found my face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Then maybe I'll give you a good show around of the place." He smiled again and pecked me on the cheek, being overly affectionate for his normal self.

Hidan walked ahead of me, "I'll be right back." He set off down a hall way to our left, leaving me once again behind, slightly flustered. Oh but this time, I wasn't in some alley way. I was in a criminal hideout. If he expected me to be where he left me when he got back after he had just laid the moves on me; he was so wrong. Plus I knew it'd piss him off, and he was kind of cute when pissed.

Briskly walking down the hallway on the other end of the kitchen I found so many twists and turns I could hardly keep up with them all. Maybe that was just in case somebody did find their way in, they'd get so lost they'd just give up or something. Of course it wasn't like it was just a bunch of consecutive turns, it was just that if I could turn somewhere I would. I loved mazes and the hideout was like the ultimate one. The only sad part was the I kept rounding back to the kitchen.

Giving myself one more go of it I headed off down my first hallway again and tried to switch up the order of turns I took. When I went to take the first right though I caught a glimpse of someone down the to the left. Jumping back behind the corner on instinct I instantly felt stupid. I knew practically everyone in the base, there was no need for me to be on alert. I was going to step out and see who it was when I got the sickening feeling someone was already behind me. Feeling stupid yet again I turned to face whoever it was.

And I nearly shit myself.

` Zetsu is one ugly mother fucker.

My eyes grew three sizes and I dropped back a couple steps. "Holy shit." I said under the cover of my breath.

"Is this who I-"

"**It seems so.**" There was clear definition between the white Zesu's voice the black side's.

"What do you think she's doing here?"

"**How the hell would I know.**"

"Should we get-"

"**Shut up you idiot. She can hear us.**"

"Hi." I squeaked wanting to be polite and shake his head but I couldn't. The plant things on either side of him had me shaken. "I'm Taylor." My voice was at a pitch that made me sound like a pre-pubescent boy.

The white Zetsu smiled. I think that is. "Oh, we remem-"

"Taylor-chan?"

I whirled around my breath finally let itself out when I saw the masked Akatsuki member. "Tobi!" I scooted over to his side, thankful to be farther from Zetsu.

"What are you doing here, Taylor-chan?" He didn't sound his normal _Tobi_ self. The was suspicion glaring through his voice. The way he said 'Taylor-chan' sounded sarcastic. Almost like he was mocking me even.

Happy to be able to answer with ease I gestured over my shoulder. "I came with Hidan. He needed to talk to his partner or something." My chest still felt tight. There was just something about knowing Tobi wasn't who he said he was that made me apprehensive.

It fell silent and I stood there with the two, three?, of them staring at me. "What's wrong, Taylor-chan? You seem sick. Have you been feeling well?" Tobi grabbed my shoulder and I felt my stomach squeeze. Not in a 'I'm going to hurl' way either. No it was more of a 'I want out of here' type of situation. I yanked out of his grip, surprising myself.

"Taylor? Where the fuck are you?" At first I slowly started backing away, not wanting to take my eyes off of either of them for a second, but then I took of in a full fledged dash in the direction of the kitchen. There wasn't even a need to look over my shoulder to check to see if they were looking, I could _feel_ them watching.

The kitchen's light hit me and I practically bulldozed Hidan. Pushing me back to arms length he looked at me. "Where the fuck were you?" He looked around me. I followed his gaze to find Tobi emerging with Zetsu gone. He wasn't so bad now that I wasn't alone with him- or in close vicinity. "What'd you do to her? Whip your dick out?"

Tobi's whole body jolted. "Hidan-san! How can you say something like that in front of Tay-chan!" His hands flailed in the air around him trying to deject Hidan's crude accusation. "I'm so sorry Tay-chan!" Tobi started approaching me hurriedly. I sunk back into Hidan. The closer the better.

Hidan's hands hovered around me, not sure whether or not to touch me. Tobi on the other hand stood about ten feet away staring me down. For Hidan I'm sure it probably looked like Tobi was sulking and dejected. But I saw him trying to punish me with silence. "Taylor?" Hidan walked around the front of me.

I hesitated before taking Tobi out of my line of sight. "What's wrong?"

What the hell was I doing? Tobi hadn't done anything wrong. Sure for all I knew deep down he was some crazy Madara-guy, but so far he hadn't done anything. He was Tobi and that in itself wasn't malicious in any way. Though as hard as I tried to convince myself of it, I still couldn't shake the feeling I got from him. And the last time I had gotten some kind of feeling from someone the feeling turned out right. Itachi felt familiar look how that turned out.

"I just wanna go home." I felt defeated and my eyes lowered.

"I think Taylor-chan is sick." Yet again Tobi started walking towards me.

Hidan grabbed my chin, turning my head each way. "I think he's right." He looked closely at me. For a second I wondered if I had something on my face. "You haven't been sleeping well. Have you?" He ran his thumb under my eye and it felt heavenly. Knowing other things were more important I pulled away. I really did want to leave.

"Can we please just go?" My throat started going dry as I became more anxious.

A gruff look came upon Hidan. "What are you avoiding?"

"Avoiding?" My eyebrows creased together. "I just wanna leave." Inconspicuously I quickly cleared my throat to ease my throat's irritation.

"No you aren't telling me something."

"Taylor-chan." Tobi cooed childishly. My attention snapped to him because he sounded so close. Which he was. He was practically just as close as I was to Hidan. He reached out and grabbed my arm again. "What's wrong."

Now severely ticked off and confused I could almost feel myself bursting at the seams with annoyance. I slapped Tobi's touch away from me and turned to unleash a slew of insults but I was stopped by this horrible feeling spreading through my throat. It was just like how it had been when I woke up. I clutched my chest as I started heavily coughing. Ever since I was little I've hated coughing and found it highly embarrassing; especially in front of other people. So when Hidan tried to help me I slapped his hand away and tried to walk a safe distance away until I was calmed down. I fell after two steps.

I covered my mouth with the free hand, the other was keeping my torso from the floor. Then it was like one final, and rather painful, cough and it was done. I started thinking of how stupid I must've looked when I started to here a dripping sound coming from beneath me. Warily I looked down, something was seeping from my hand. Already aware of what it was I pulled my hand away from my face and saw that my palm was covered in blood.

"Holy fuck." Hidan knelt down in front of me to examine me. "What the hell just happened." His eyes scavenged my palm then to my face as if he had never seen blood.

I clenched my fist shut. "Just a little cough." My words sounded meager out loud.

"A little- Taylor you spat blood! What aren't you telling me?" He grabbed my wrist to secure me to that very spot on the kitchen floor and forcing me to look him straight in the eye. "Tell me what you are hiding!"

It was inevitable really. I should've known I'd have to tell him sooner or later. I mean he wasn't the smartest Akatsuki member, but he wasn't stupid. "Hidan I-"

"What I think Taylor-chan is trying to say Hidan-san is," I slowly looked to Tobi, half-curious and half-horrified to hear what he had to say. "She's dying."

I don't know what it is about that man. But I really do not like him.

* * *

**So, I know this was very long (yay) and probably very confusing what with the Tobi shit and stuff (D: oh nu) but I promise next chapter will explain everything and all will be well- at least I think so. Anyways as I've said before I think there will only be at the most four more chapters, probably not even that. But on the Brightside I'm planning on a sequel. For now though I need you guys to go to my profile and take my poll to tell me who you want Taylor to end up with. Anyslut, review for some major love 3 ~NSR**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

* * *

"Taylor?" Hidan was still gripping my wrists. Not to keep me in place but to demand an answer from me.

I smiled weakly and made my body relax. "Hidan, I'm not dying. Tobi-kun is just overly worrying about me. Right Tobi-kun?" I aimed my smile towards Tobi. I rarely used honorifics but it seemed proper in the situation.

The atmosphere became heavy as Tobi stood silently over us. Hidan grunted out a sigh. "Shit." He let go of his grip on me and fell back on his butt. "Can't believe I got work up." When I looked back to Hidan I experienced a first. It was the first time I ever found him looking innocent. For a split second he grinned in a relieved way and had his hand over his heart. I felt happy for him. If I would've told him the truth, he probably would've gone ballistic.

He got up onto one knee and then pushed himself the rest of the way up. "Whatever let's go." I took the hand he had extended fully prepared to get the hell out of there. You can imagine my reaction when I got to my feet and Tobi latched onto my arm.

Resisting the urge to shove him off I kept my focus on Hidan. "Tobi." Hidan growled. "What the fuck are you doing?"

Tobi held firmly onto my arm. "Hidan-san hogs Tay-chan! I want to play with her too!"

I cleared my throat. "But Tobi I need to get home to Hikaru." Tobi began to whine like something I would expect from Hikaru.

Hidan gave Tobi a snarl before pinched the bridge his nose in aggravation. "Ten minutes. Then we're leaving."

_What?_ Excitedly Tobi started dragging me off. Hopelessly I threw Hidan one last glare but he was stalking off somewhere already. Ahead of me Tobi was heading back down the way he came from. I didn't even pay attention to which way he turned or how far we were going.

We stopped at a door not any different to any of the others we had passed. Tobi finally let go of me to open his door. He stepped back and motioned for me to go in. "Lady's first Taylor-chan." Trying to convince myself that I was imagining his change in tone I went in first.

It was a plain room. The walls barren of color. The bed had a black comforter that matched a dresser in the far corner. Naturally since the place was underground there were no windows which just added to the gloom of the room. "You should add more color, Tobi. Black doesn't suit you." I stood in the middle of the room searching for something to find pleasant.

Tobi was leaning against a wall by the door giving me a feeling like he was guarding me. I cleared my throat nervously. "You know-"

"Why did you lie to Hidan?"

My face scrunched up, no need to be shy about it. "That is my business Tobi. I'd appreciate you keeping your opinions on my health to yourself."

"So you are _not_ dying?" It wasn't a question. He was challenging me to lie.

I crossed my arms together. "Don't you think you're being a little rude?"

He pushed himself away from the wall. "Why don't you take a seat?" Chris Hansen's immortal words, and just as they had been used for on countless people I couldn't help but do as he said. I flinched as he passed me. He was heading for his dresser. Momentarily eyeing the door I decided to see what he was up to. The bed creaked beneath my weight as I sat down more roughly than needed.

From behind I could see Tobi rummaging through his drawers. He held something up in the air, examining it over and shutting the drawer at the same time. It looked like a small bottle from where I was sitting, which wasn't that far away. He rounded back to me showing me that it was a pill bottle. They rattled gently as he brought them to me.

Tobi held them out to me. "What are they?"

He gave them a small shake. "Pills. Take them."

"I don't even know what they'll do." I pushed them away from my face.

"They'll help you get better." He tossed them into my lap. "Unless, of course, you would rather suffer a slow and painful death." That was when I knew for certain I wasn't talking to Tobi anymore. I was talking to Madara Uchiha.

The bottle had a large cork at the top of it and inside I could see more than a dozen red and white pills. "What's the catch?" I looked back up at Madara. "What do you want from me?"

Madara rested a hand on his hip. "You could say I'm in it for a learning experience." He took a step back, granting me space to consider.

I turned the bottle over in my hand. "What exactly would you be learning?"

"Technically I'd be learning more about you."

A chill ran up my spine and echoed through the rest of my body. "What could you possibly gain from this?"

The swirled mask blocked any of the expressions he was making, so I could imagine he was taking my stalling with ease. But he was a cunning man, not the type to ruin his plans with impatience. "I've known about you for a very long time. Even before Itachi. And I know about your world."

I held my breath tightly. That wasn't possible I knew for a fact that the only person that knew about my being from another reality was Aki, and I had just recently told him. There was no logical way… "How is that possible?"

He crossed his arms across his chest as if he was getting comfortable. "I'm assuming that it would be correct for me to say that you know more about me than most, yes?" I just kept staring at him giving him the answer he knew. He chuckled confidently once. "Well than you know that my sharingan can become a _very_ powerful tool." I'd classify it as more of a weapon actually. "There is a sharingan that, when used correctly, can enable the user to see things that are unseen by others. Most don't take notice to those things because they use their sharingan primarily in battle. I've become quite accustomed to using mine nearly all the time. With that, I saw _you._"

"People could see me." I snapped agitatedly.

"Yes, after I dealt with you."

"Dealt with me?" My words trailed off into a pathetic question.

Madara fell silent. He was obviously putting his words in order. Planning out the right way of saying something never means anything good. "Have you ever heard of astral projection?"

My eyes narrowed. "No. What the hell does that have to do with anything?" I started standing up in an angry manner but Madara held up his hand. I sat back down.

"It is when someone experiences an out of body experiences. You are a very accomplished astral projector." The words 'excuse me?' laid silently on my lips. "You came here often, in your sleep I'd say. At first I paid no mind to you for I had other plans to deal with. But then I discovered that no one else could take notice you. It took me awhile but I soon realized that you weren't of our world and nor were a soul of the dead. So I took it upon myself to give you a vessel."

Trying to understand I took a deep breath and squeezed my eyes shut. "A vessel? Like- like a body?"

"A fake body that is. You were just a little girl so your soul connected with it easily I suppose. When I first questioned you, you were just not taking the situation seriously." I could just imagine myself as a child looking at Madara's masked face. "Once I decided to force the answers from you using my sharingan everything about you became quite clear. After that I kept a close eye on you and it wasn't long until I started exploring your world through you. Using my eyes I put you under a genjutsu, allowing me to use you as a median between this world and yours." I cringed at the thought of him having such a connection with me.

What was worse was that I didn't remember any of it. I shook my head. "No. No when I was here before I was with the Uchihas. Not _you._"

"Yes that's because you had a nasty habit of sleep walking. One night you had woken up in the middle of the night and wandered off without my knowing. I was going to stop you but when I saw how they reacted to you, I decided that things would be much more interesting that way."

"Still, whatever happened to me here showed in the other world. Like cuts."

Madara nodded his head like he was agreeing with me. "That is a mental side effect." _Mental? _"You see what ever happened to the body I had constructed you inflicted to your original body. One could say that, that's how you coped." He wagged a finger at my feet. "I even matched your new body to your last one." He was talking about the scar on my ankle. "Wasn't the nice of me?" My brows furrowed together in alarm. This was sick and unnatural.

None of his story made any sense to me. I put my face in my hands. "No. No. No." I almost started pleading with Madara for him to tell me something else. Seeing the ground through my fingers I glared downwards in protest.

I felt Madara sit next to me. "You're confused. That's to be expected."

Slowly I looked at him. "What?"

"That's to be expected." I could hear the meaning behind those four words.

"That's what-"

"Your doctor says." I stared at him in disbelief. He was telling the truth. He knew about me and my world.

I stood up quickly and threw the pill bottle back onto the bed. There was no part of me that wanted to affiliate with that man. Especially when he wanted to see into my world. God knows what he was capable of. And especially after what he had already and was going to put Itachi and Sasuke through.

I made for the door, hoping that I could beat him to it. Madara grabbed me by the arm. "Wouldn't you like to know what's happening to you?"

Ripping out of his grip I stumbled backwards. "I'm dying! What's more to know?"

Madara laced his fingers together loosely hanging them between his knees. "Your body eight years ago was somewhat of a prototype, if you will. It didn't last more than a handful of months before if it started rejecting your soul, and your soul rejecting it. I thought I had gotten all the kinks out, but apparently not."

My hands tightened into fists. "So you made me basically?"

"I gave you a chance to live. A chance that your world could never offer." He stood up as well, demanding authority. "If you cooperate with me I can let you live on this world. You wouldn't have to separate from the people you love." Madara stepped around me, causing me to turn on him so that he would always be in front of me. "Isn't that what you want? To have both worlds?"

Angry already I threw my hands in front of me. "You can't get anything from this! So I live, you will never be able to cross into my world!"

"People die everyday where you are." Madara's voice was still and relatively calm. How he did it, I don't know because I was absolutely livid. "You'd be surprised how corpses welcome a new host." I was sickened. My lips were in a tight line to keep what little composure I still had. Again I made an attempt to get away but he clutched me by both shoulders. Without realizing it I had let him trap me between himself and the bed.

With a light shove my calves hit the foot of the bed and I fell backwards. In a split second he was crouched on top of me. "Get off of me!" I put my hands up to shove him away. He countered by pinning my hands near my head. Thrashing my head from side to side I struggled against him.

It was all in vain, he was a man and as much as I hated to say it- he was much stronger than I was. That didn't stop me from continuing to put up a fight. I hadn't even realized when he had slid his mask half way up his face and forced his lips to mine. My eyes widened in shock as he kept both of my wrists pinned down with one hand and the other hand snaked up underneath my shirt. I tried to sink away from his touch and into the bed but he just ran his gloved hand higher. The air was cold against my stomach.

Panicked I pulled my legs up which resulted with Madara biting my lower lip. I gave a small gasp. That was the worst mistake I could've made because he used that as an window of opportunity to get his tongue into my mouth. Then something small rolled over my tongue. He was trying to force feed me the pills!

Biting down on his tongue, Madara yelled and sat up. "You little-" I cut him off by successfully bringing my leg into his groin. He finally let go of my hands and I began wriggling out from beneath him. I didn't even get that far because he seized my wrists once again. This time I felt the power of his hold. He left no space to move and my hands quickly started to ache. "You will cooperate." From the low and threatening tone he held I stopped moving

Madara forced a knee between my legs. Lowering his face to my ear he whispered. "Don't make me do something drastic." He kissed my neck and a small bite accompanied it. A cry escaped my lips not because it hurt but because I was scared. "Swallow."

"Mm-mm" I shook my head shakily. I was scared, I didn't want to provoke him.

His hand landed on my stomach again, much lower than last time though. I gave another cry this time followed by a couple tears. "Swallow." He didn't stop this time though to give me time to consider. His finger tips skimmed the skin under my pants.

I wanted to be a tough girl. To stand my ground no matter what harassment ensued. I didn't want to give in to him. What would Hidan and Itachi think of me if they knew I was so weak? Not being able to handle him any longer I swallowed the pills loudly so he could hear. Madara's hand stopped. He pulled his face away from my neck and his hand from the top of my pants. Placing the mask back over his face he said, "Open."

Immediately obeying him I opened my mouth to show him I had swallowed. A low chuckle came from his throat. He let go of my hands and patted my cheek. "That's a good girl." Sliding off of me and back onto his feet he leaned over and pulled my shirt down. I must've looked horrified because he shook his head. "Calm down. I'm done for today. But," Madara gave my upper thigh a squeeze. "I think I might want to do this again."

Straightening his back out he looked down on me. "Compose yourself. You don't want to keep Hidan-_san_ waiting." When he left the room I just laid there, almost afraid to move. I bit my lip to the point where I thought I might draw blood. My entire body was shaking, I could still feel where he had had his hands. The spot on my neck itched. Placing my hand over the spot I tried to rub it away, but I could still feel it.

I sat up and retied my ponytail. My hands still shook until I gripped them into fists. That seemed to bring them to their senses or at least the shaking wasn't as noticeable. I grabbed the door handle and took one last breath. When I opened it I was half-surprised to find Madara standing outside to torment me. He wasn't though and I allowed myself to be a little more at ease. There was no point in having Hidan finding me a nervous wreck and worrying up a storm.

It took me a good bit of energy to find my way back to the Kitchen. But there he was, waiting patiently for me at the counter. He had his head on his hand and was staring off somewhere. My feet tapped against the stone floor and Hidan snapped his head at me. His face lit up. "Ready to finally get the fuck out of here?"

I nodded my head quietly trying to content and not too eager. Hidan stood up and grabbed his elbow over his head giving it a good stretch. "You'll never believe it, I went to find Itachi to show off." He let his hands fall to slap his sides. "And that dickhead is off somewhere for the morning." Technically speaking it wasn't morning anymore, but I'm sure technicalities didn't matter to Hidan much.

With my arm locked with his I just shook my head. "That's what you get for trying to make him angry." I got to press the button and felt somewhat satisfied with it. I always loved pressing the button. While we waited in front of the doors I felt more at ease with Hidan beside me again. Madara wouldn't risk blowing his cover with Hidan. Not like you could kill him anyways.

I tightened my grip on his arm and leaned my head against him. The spot on my neck still felt terrible. I had it already planned out so that when I got home I was going to shower until I was raw all over. The door opened with a _ping_ and we were in. Not wanting to let go of Hidan I made him press the button. "It's funny." Hidan said.

"Hm?"

"Tobi." I tensed. "He's probably never fucked a woman." Hidan chuckled darkly. "You're the closest he'll probably ever get to a woman." I closed my eyes trying to keep myself calm. The spot on my neck and my lips felt so terrible. I just wanted it gone.

I let go of Hidan. He looked down at me. "Taylor?"

In a pretty rough way I grabbed the front of his cloak and jerked him down to my level. Brashly I got on my the tip of my toes and finished filled the space between us. Hesitantly he wrapped his arms around me, but when he did it felt like he wouldn't let go. I ran my hands through his hair and he got his hands on anyplace he could. It was ravenous like we wouldn't be satisfied until we were both just bones holding each other. When we pulled apart and Hidan ducked down to my neck he stopped. I stood there waiting impatiently as Hidan beat around the bush.

"What the hell is that?" He bent his head back. "Why is there a fucking hickey on your neck?" My hand flew to my neck. I had completely forgot about _that_ spot. He ripped my hand away and shoved my hair out of the way. I felt so ashamed, like a scarlet letter. "When the fuck did that get there?" I squeezed my eyes shut to hold back what I was afraid was tears. "Are you honestly that much of a slut?"

My breath hitched at the word. There was an angry type of hurt coursing through him. That's why when I finally heard that certain _Ping!_ my eyes flew open only to more horror. There stood Kisame Hoshigaki and Itachi Uchiha. Kisame almost had to restrain himself from finding Hidan and I bound together but the worst part was Itachi's expression because he didn't have one. His cold eyes were trained on me, not telling me anything which only made me feel worse.

"Oh, God." I was once again at the brink of tears. Unable to take the situation much longer I shoved away from Hidan and ran right past Itachi and Kisame. No one ran after me. No one shouted for me to wait up. I was alone running through the woods. I only stopped when I got back to the path. By that point I was heaving again.

This time I could feel the bile in my stomach building up. Not only had I not eaten that day except for a cup of coffee, but I was crying and running and out of breath. All of those factors put together resulted in my throwing up whatever I could on the side of the road. There went those pills Madara and worked so hard to force on me.

Everything was wrong. That day had started horrible and it had just been uphill from there. I supported myself by holding onto my knees and taking slow breaths. There was nothing to do but go home. Through blurry eyes and a heavy heart I trudged home. The walk seemed so much longer without Hidan there beside me.

It probably took me a grudging half an hour to get back. Instead of dark clouds rolling which would've matched my mood, the sun was bright and beaming down on me which made me surprisingly angry. I didn't even bother unwinding before I walked in. I should've because standing at the front counter was just I didn't want to see. More shinobi.

At the very sight of the orange jump suit I was fuming. "What the _hell_ are you doing here!" I screamed. All four of them turned around. "Well?"

Sakura looked at Kakashi with concern and Sai stood behind Naruto without that stupid smile. "We were just stopping by for a visit." Kakashi held his hands up as if to show me he was un armed.

Fury roared in my chest. "Well maybe you should be out doing your jobs!"

They all stared at me in disbelief. I challenged them back with by practically throwing daggers with my eyes. Naruto stepped forward. "I don't know what your problem is but you don't need to-"

"Naruto." Sakura cut him off sharply. She looked back at me with a comforting look, like she knew what I was going through. "Taylor-san we're sorry if we caught you off guard." I blinked at her. My stance fell down a couple of notches. Okay, so maybe it felt good to hear. That only made me burst into tears again.

I sunk my face back into my hands. It was so embarrassing to think I was crying in front of people. When I felt a gently touch on my shoulder I looked up feebly. Sakura smiled gently. "Wanna go outside?" I still didn't stop crying even when we got outside.

I know it isn't really in their culture to be really touchy-feely, but all I wanted was a hug. As soon as we were out of the boys' sight I latched onto her like a little kid. She didn't skip a beat and wrapped an arm around me. "I'm sorry for Naruto. He's such an idiot."

Breathing deeply I found my self giggling slightly. I took another large breath, my nerves went down a little more. "I'm sorry." I wiped my eyes of excess water. "I'm just having a really bad day."

Sakura waved it off. "It's okay. Everybody has their days."

My heart squeezed. I missed having a girl to talk to. Which I really regretted because I had to started wanting to spill everything to her. I bit my lip nervously. The pink haired girl beside me smiled gently with solace. "Do you want to talk about it?"

My eyes fell on the bakery entrance. What if something slipped and she told the rest of her team? "Well-" I paused for a second. I wouldn't really have to mention anything serious or any names. "It's mainly just that-" I stopped short again, thinking of how I should put it. "I'm torn between these guys and there was this huge misunderstanding today. And then on top of the I'm-" I finally looked at Sakura in the eyes. I didn't want to say it out loud. Yet again I was scared. "I'm…" Taking a large gulp I looked up to the sky, blinking away my nerves. "I'm dying."

Sakura put a hand to her mouth. "Are you sure?" I nodded my head sullenly. "Is there anything that can be done."

I shrugged grimly. "I don't know. I haven't really been to the hospital for long."

She grabbed my hand. "Taylor-san! Come back to Konoha with us. I'm a medical kunoichi I can help you!" My eyes faltered from her gaze for a second. That was a big decision. Was it a risk? I mean my body wasn't even in principle real. Then I thought of why it wasn't real. Madara Uchiha.

A sickening feel came upon me. I looked to Sakura again. "Are you sure you can do that. I don't have money for medical bills."

She took my hand up higher with both hands. "I promise you, Taylor-san, I wouldn't offer if it wasn't okay."

I laid my other hand on top of hers. "Then please take good care of me."

I might not have been certain of what I was getting myself into. But one thing was for sure. Madara Uchiha wouldn't dare step a foot near me so long as I was with in the Leaf Village, but neither would anyone else.

* * *

**So I definitely did not intend this chapter to turn out this way D: To be hon****est it kind of took on a life of its own as it went on. Woot woot. Look at that, I think that was record time of updating for me. Anyslut. Make sure if you haven't done so already you vote on who Taylor should end up with. Thank you for the reviews, you guys are soo nice. Review for love ~NSR**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

"Taylor?"

I turned around. Hikaru was poking his head into my room. "Hey, Hikaru. What's up?"

His eyes looked at my clothes cautiously. They were the ones I had on the day I had first showed up. To him they were foreign, unfamiliar. "I'm worried about you." I could tell he'd been crying. His eyes were blood shot and swollen.

Welcoming a hug I opened my arms wide for him. He rushed into me and began sniffling. Both arms fit around him and he only came up to about my chest. "I'll be fine. Besides aren't you coming with me?" He pulled his face away from me and blinked up at me. I ran my hand over his head to assure him. "You don't expect me to be all alone in hospital, do you? Aki has to watch his shop, so who's gonna protect me?"

Hikaru seemed to liven up a bit before his eyes faltered again. "But," He nervously gripped the sides of my hoody. "What about Hidan and Itachi? Won't they be coming?" My heart squeezed tightly making me clear my throat.

"No. I don't think we'll be seeing much of the Akatsuki now a'days."

My hand just kept petting Hikaru. Hikaru went to say something but stopped. His eyes fell to my neck, which made me look too. My pendant. "You love them, don't you? So why aren't they coming too?"

A knot formed in my throat. He was so innocent. So well-meaning. I took my hands from Hikaru and to the clasp at the back of the pendant. They were shaky, but I still managed to find it and unhook it. "Sometimes Hikaru," I lifted the necklace from my neck and placed it on my bed. "People can't love you the way you love them."

Hikaru grabbed my hand tightly. I knew he didn't understand but he was trying. That's all that really mattered right? I tugged at his hand. "C'mon." My voice was a little unstable so I cleared my throat quietly. "It's time to get a move on." He looked back behind us, surely at the pendant I was leaving behind. It took everything in me not to look back as well.

Downstairs Aki stood sternly in front of the countertop. He was kneading a large ball of dough. I could smell the yeast in the air, floating around like it was trying to hide the surly mood. There was a surplus of muffins and various other pastries laying about. Much more than usual. "Aki." I smiled with a taste of confusion. He didn't stop though. If anything he only pressed harder. I held onto Hikaru's hand securely. "Aki." I said again a bit louder. Aki practically punched the dough one last time.

He looked up sharply. His mouth was in a tight line. I was touched actually. He was upset that I was leaving. I scratched my nose amusedly. "So are these for me then?"

A hand still on the dough he looked over his sea of goods. Aki licked his lips before rubbing his hand over his face. "Are you going to leave or what?"

I knew he wouldn't be straightforward about his feelings. That's just how sarcastic people are. Or at least that's how he was. "Fine. I'm leaving but, you better have some fresh doughnuts for when I come back."

Aki's hand lowered from his face. He smiled exhaustedly. "Yeah. Alright."

We both knew I wasn't coming back though.

Naruto, Kakashi, Sakura, and Sai stood at the entrance of the bakery waiting. I felt melancholic as I left the building. I mean, maybe I _would_ be seeing it again. But I just had a gut feeling that that was the last time I'd be in its presence. It was sad.

Taking a deep breath I walked out into the warm sun. "Alright. I'm ready." Everybody smiled back. Well that is I think Kakashi was smiling and I don't think Sai's smile was even real. Naruto wasn't even attempting to look happy. He looked like he didn't trust me. Trying to be mature in front of Hikaru I just ignored him. Alright so Sakura smiled back.

Just as I had expected, we took the road I had found across town. Kakashi explained that it would only take a couple of hours since we were actually relatively close. However by my standards that wasn't a walk. That was a hike. Even Hikaru seemed relieved that it wasn't 'long'. Bullshit!

On the way there I have to admit it was a really beautiful thing. If I had to describe it, it was like I was watching HD T.V. without the television of course. It was refreshing compared to the concrete roads and loud cars of my world.

I'm going to save you the suffering of reading two and a half hours worth of walking and get us right into the village. It had a nice warm feeling to it. Like it was made for happy people. Sasuke came to mind and I had trouble thinking of how somewhere so nice could've produced someone so dead inside. Hikaru was absolutely tickled pink. His eyes were just engulfing everything around us. The streets weren't crowded but they were full of people mingling around.

I wanted to explore and look around but when the boys left our group Sakura led me straight to the hospital. Hikaru barely even noticed until we were walking straight into it. Then, as if terrified, he stuck tightly to my side. Who was I kidding? I was just as scared.

The hospital had a slightly different feeling to the ones I had been in before. It wasn't made up of different shades of white, with bunch of sick people in wheel chairs, and smelled of doctors. Instead of being a place of death like I stereotyped every hospital, that place seemed to shine with life. Most of the people seemed happy to be there. Which slightly settled the nervousness building in me.

Sakura put Hikaru and me in a room that over looked the village. "We will start by running some tests to see what kind of state your body is in." She thrust open one of the windows. "After that, we'll go by ear."

I nodded a smile across to her and she left Hikaru and me. "Everybody is very nice." Hikaru sat on the bed. His words were said with a slight sense of remorse. Sitting next to him I brushed his hair back, but it just fell right back into place. He laid down on the bed. "Can we ever go back?" By the time he finished his sentence his eyelids had already drooped fully shut. That kid could never stay awake.

Some organ on my left side wrenched. I squeezed my eyes shut. How long would this go on? I looked down into my clasped hands and for the first time I realized the birthmark I usually sported on my left wrist wasn't there. I examined my arm closely, and it made me come to grips with the fact that it wasn't my body. Moving across the room to a chair in the corner I curled my legs to my chest. Would the people examining me be able to tell that my body was a fake?

I peeked down at my arm again. No birthmark. _You never really liked that one anyways. _I shook my head at the irony.

The village's buildings seemed to make a collage with their colorful roofs. Each one stood out only adding to the personality that the place had. I could only see a few of the streets below my room before they were hidden among the buildings. On the street in front of the hospital stood Naruto. I leaned forward for a better view. He was talking with someone who was standing out of my view. Naruto gripped his hands behind his head and started smiling like an idiot. I'm guessing who ever he was talking to left because his smile dropped and I could've sworn he glanced up to me. Surely over thinking I sat back in my seat, feeding only disinterest to him. What was he doing there anyways?

I got the sickening feeling that he was going to be paying me a visit. My feet hit the ground with dread. That was the last thing I needed, a main character picking a bone with me. I didn't take my eyes off of the door for awhile, but he didn't show up. When I looked back outside, he wasn't there either. Before I spoke my relief too soon, my door opened. Needless to say there stood Naruto.

He looked so serious. I met his unsmiling face with one of my own. "Can I help you?"

Naruto's eyes itched with wanting to say something. He looked at Hikaru, probably wondering if he would wake him, and turned his eyes back on me with determination. "I need you to tell me what you know about Itachi Uchiha."

I rolled my eyes disgustedly. "Haven't we been over this?"

"You're protecting a murderer."

"You protect a traitor." I nearly bit my tongue with regret. I should've just stuck with my denying story.

Naruto's fists gripped until I could've sworn his skin was going to tear. "Itachi and Sasuke are not the same story."

I shoved myself from my seat. "You're right. Sasuke only sees hate."

Advancing towards me he grabbed me by the front of my hoody. "Itachi is the one who made him like that!"

"He knows that!" I whined as if begging him to understand. Naruto's eyes grew wide, his lip still curled. His hand slipped off of me.

"Then you have seen Itachi."

_Shit._ I made some space between Naruto and I. "You wouldn't understand." There was no shame in my voice. I wasn't in the wrong, neither was Itachi.

"You _don't_ understand! Don't you know what Itachi did?" He threw his hands in front of him like he was pleading with me to see it his way.

I nodded my head only bringing another wave of shock to Naruto. "I met Sasuke again too." From under my breath I was surprised Naruto even understood me.

"You talked to Sasuke?" He instantly brightened up. "Where? Is he close around? Did he-"

"He found out I've been in contact with his brother. And then he threatened my and Hikaru's life." Naruto's expression was like I had just thrown a baseball at a mirror.

His eyes searched mine for an ounce of untruth. When he came up dry I felt terrible. How he felt about Sasuke I knew I couldn't possibly understand. Just like how he didn't understand how I felt about Itachi. "This is what Sasuke has turned to from desperatation. I need you to tell me all you know so I can help him." He still persevered.

"Are you stupid?" I snapped. "When are you going to realize that no matter what you say, things must run their own course. Without my interference.

Naruto's face hardened. He hated me for protecting the situation. But that's what I could do. I could be the person to let things pan out like they should, I could shoulder the hate.

* * *

"What the hell do you mean _gone_?"

Aki set the glass he had been polishing down. "Some Konoha shinobi came and she told them she was sick, so they took her back with them."

Hidan stood, fuming, in Aki's kitchen. "How could she have just left? And with some Leaf Village fucks?" His body huffed and puffed, not knowing what else to do. He pinpointed Aki again. "Did she leave a note? Anything at all?"

The baker winced. He had been wishing Hidan wasn't going to ask that. He held up his hand, telling Hidan to wait there. After that he went up to Taylor's room. Sliding the door open he found her necklace laying on her bed. Aki picked up the Jashinist pendant. Originally he had intended on not telling Hidan, but he deserved to know whatever Aki could show him. When he came down he laid it in Hidan's hand cautiously.

"That was the only thing in her room I found." Aki said regretfully. "Did something happen? She was a mess when she came back."

Looking pained Hidan ensnared the silver necklace in his fist. "Fuck." His eyes were a clear screen to the inner turmoil gushing in him. _**She told me she was okay.**_

When a Jashinist gives a pendant to another Jashinist, it's as if he's asking her to marry him on a less significant level of course. When that person accepts the pendant one could say that a bond is created between the two people, a close tie that nobody else could sever. Hidan had assumed she was a fellow Jashinist because she too had a pendant, and it isn't as if they are the easiest things to obtain. He had assumed that she understood what he was conveying when he had given her that pendant. And he had assumed that she accepted his feelings when she told him she loved him.

A bitter taste arose in Hidan's mouth. If the person who had received the pendant ever took it off willingly, it meant that they were severing that close bond the two Jashinists had shared. It also meant they were denouncing their faith. That in itself is an act worthy of shunning from every other follower.

That was the only time in his life that Hidan had ever questioned his faith.

Outside stood Itachi. He had decided it was the right decision to follow Hidan. If anything he thought that maybe Hidan would apologize and Taylor would run to him. Or perhaps she'd ramble on in her own way. Itachi had to be honest with himself though, he had never really seen Hidan as much of an obstacle. So when Itachi found Taylor and Hidan embracing each other in the elevator he was furious. Although it didn't really seem like the right mood for romance.

Hidan looked like he was going to rip someone in half and Taylor looked devastated. Not just by whatever Hidan had done, maybe by something a little heavier. Either way when she saw Itachi surveying her and Hidan she just tore off.

Before she was out of anyone's sight Hidan lunged at Itachi. "You arrogant little shit!"

Itachi made little effort to dodge him. For people like Hidan it was better to just let them get it all out of their system. "You did that to her!" He lashed out a kunai and started stabbing it at Itachi. "Who the fuck do you think you are?"

Although he wasn't entirely sure what his counterpart was talking about Itachi just stared on at him. "Taylor doesn't need you fucking around with her!" Noticing he wasn't getting very close to his opponent, Hidan chucked the kunai at Itachi. He was so hopping mad that his aim was far from spot on, making the kunai stray off into a tree.

"You're letting yourself become too emotionally involved." At that point Itachi had no intention of dueling it out with him. He wanted to piss Hidan off to the point where he made himself vulnerable.

From thin air Hidan summoned his scythe with an angry yell. He twirled the weapon through the air and whipped it towards Itachi. The thing was so large it made it easy to avoid. Hidan landed roughly on the ground and yanked the scythe back to him. He was far from settled down. "Burn in the pits of hell!" Again he propelled himself and his weapon towards Itachi.

Finally at the end of his patience, Itachi easily shirked the fuming Hidan and got him from behind. He pressed a kunai to Hidan's throat. "If you honestly think that I would hurt Taylor, then you are stupider than you sound." Itachi thrust Hidan hard enough so that he stumbled ahead of him. "I am not positive as to what is going on between you two, but it's my opinion that we both have misjudged the situation."

Itachi was sure that Hidan saw him as condescending, and he was okay with that. As long as he didn't see it as the jealousy it was.

After saying that Hidan refused to listen to anymore, and told of his plans to go straighten things out with Taylor before heading towards town, making it all the easier for Itachi to follow. But Itachi never thought she'd choose to completely sever the bonds she had with either of them. That's what going to Konoha did. It put a fence up around her that warded off people like him and Hidan.

Itachi knew he should've never let it get this far. He had let himself revel in the feeling Taylor gave him. Now his feelings had gotten ahead of him and he had hurt Taylor. In his own way, he had sent Taylor to the Leaf Village. He had gotten used to feeling guilt long before he had met back up with her, but he felt stupid knowing he had ignored her symptoms.

After she had woken up, she was clearly in pain. Always stopping and wincing at random moments. He had experienced them on his own, so why had he been so oblivious to them? Perhaps because if he had acknowledged them earlier it meant that he would've had to realize that the little happiness he had left was dying.

Konoha was no obstacle for him. Itachi had bypassed their security many times before. He wondered though, what was the point? From what he had come to know, she was probably dying. After that, there would be no more worrying about her. He could fully devote himself to fulfilling his duty to Sasuke.

_Just one more time. I need to see her one last time._

Then there was no stopping him. Itachi had many things he regretted. Many of his decisions he had made haunted him every day. He couldn't not see Taylor before it was too late. That was one thing he wasn't going to regret.

Because he loved her.

The sun was just beginning to set when Itachi arrived, meaning the security was a little more guarded than it would've been in the middle of the day. The hospital was on the eastern edge of the village which made it easier to get to then the Hokage's mansion would be. There were two men idly chatting, Itachi jumped from the tree he was perched in to the roof of the hospital. With his sharingan he picked the least guarded entrance. Before he jumped to a door he heard Taylor's elevated voice.

Itachi hung his head over the edge and saw a window several floors below him hanging open. Through the wind he could make out her muffled voice. She sounded like she was fighting with someone. It wasn't long before she couldn't be heard anymore. There was the possibility that there was still someone with her, and he wouldn't have cared if someone wasn't behind him.

He quickly flew around and blocked an attack. Kakashi Hatake jumped backwards. Itachi quickly glanced around, it didn't seem like anyone else was around. "What are you doing here, Itachi?"

"Kakashi, there is no need to beat around the bush."

"You're here to see that girl?"

Itachi dropped his defensive position. "I won't let her die without seeing her face once more."

Kakashi lowered his head. "I can't let you just walk in." Itachi was slightly surprised, even as an enemy he truly was too sympathetic sometimes. "If you don't leave now," He gripped his hand, in preparation to start a jutsu. "I won't go easy on you."

"I'll leave as soon as I see Taylor." The two ninjas locked eyes. "After that, I will leave the village without a fight." Suspicion nagged at Kakashi still, quite visibly. "You have my word."

The white haired ninja shook his head. He knew he shouldn't be allowing this. Lady Tsunade would have his head if she found out. That's why she wouldn't. "Hurry then. Before someone else sees you." That was Itachi's green light. In a flash Itachi was gone from Kakashi's sight.

"Please, Naruto. You need to trust me." I clasped my hands together. He had started insisting even more annoyingly that I tell him 'what I know' but there was nothing I could. I regretted ever saying anything. "The things that I know, I can't tell you. They would mess with the way things are supposed to happen."

* * *

Naruto shook his head. "I've already dealt with this destiny thing! It's a load of-"

"I'm not talking about destiny!" Suddenly my voice rang in impatience. "Naruto. I can't tell you!" I shook my head pleadingly. "I-" I sunk back down into my chair. "I'm dying. Just please leave me be."

I think he felt slightly guilty. So did I. Naruto was finally leaving when I decided to tell him one thing. "Naruto." He stopped but didn't turn. "You are going to do great things. Things are going to work out, I promise." His head slightly moved so I could tell he heard me before he kept walking.

I watched him shove the door open, he stopped suddenly as if he had met a brick wall. His mouth moved and he jerked his head in my direction. Who was he talking to now? When he left, in came a familiar brunette.

Slightly disappointed that it was just Aki I still smiled. "Couldn't bare it without me?"

Aki smiled, catching me off guard. He glanced at Hikaru who was still soundly asleep. Assured he strode over to me. "I thought you'd be Itachi or Hidan." I looked at my hands laying motionless in my lap. "I guess I was just being a stupid girl. I just am scared." Aki stood in front of me. Feeling slightly odd I squeezed my eyebrows to him. "What do you think?"

His smile was still there, now making the atmosphere weird. He hadn't really smiled that much to me. The smile contorted slightly. Aki leaned down, placing a hand on each armrest. With our faces barely a foot apart I stared into his eyes as they morphed from a hazel to a blood red. "I think you are very clever."

My eyes widened as they voice threw red flags into the air. "What are you doing here, Madara?"

The imposter pinched my chin. "Just checking in on my experiment." He jerked my head from side to side. "I see you refused the medicine."

I held my breath as he yanked away from me. Leering over me in the form of a dark Aki, I waited for him to do something. "Then die." His voice became dark as well, mirroring his expression. "But know this- this is not the end. You will pay for this."

At that point I couldn't help my sneer. "What can you do once I'm good and dead."

Madara bent over once again, making himself eyelevel with me. "Do not make the mistake of underestimating me." As he stood he looked to the room's window. "This is where we part I believe. For now I bid you a safe trip." I was surprised when he left without causing anymore damage.

I clutched my chest. Just from holding up a couple of conversations I was out of breath. _This must be how it starts._

Eventually I saw Hikaru sitting up in bed. He told me he had to go to the bathroom, but I think he knew I wanted to be alone. He must've heard some of my conversations.

That's a lie. I didn't want to be alone. I wanted someone to console me and tell me that everything was going to be alright. Because I wasn't sure that it was. I was dying, and I'm pretty sure that meant both of my bodies were. What was going to happen next?

"Taylor."

Breathlessly I turned. There by the window was Itachi. My eyes welled up immediately. "Itachi." I finally broke.

He came to my side and lifted me from the chair. I clutched his chest as he carried me to my bed. By the time he laid down with me I was a sobbing mess. Itachi wrapped himself around me and set his lips to the top of my head.

Even as my neck screamed in protest I craned my neck so I could kiss him. Through tears and aching pain I didn't let myself stop. I thought about how right it felt to kiss Itachi, how horrible it felt to know I was leaving him, and I even thought about what Hidan was doing instead of being where Itachi was.

Itachi pulled back. He slid a hand over my head. "Why didn't you tell me?"

I didn't dare break eye contact. "I just wanted to be happy. My health should be the least of your worries."

A light smile graced his lips. "You may be the only person in this entire world who worries about my happiness." A sadness ran through his eyes. "And you're leaving."

It made me feel happy that he had sad 'leaving' instead of 'dying'.

"Itachi." I gripped the front of his shirt as hard as I could. "I love you."

He set his forehead against mine. "In another world I could've loved you like you deserve."

Tears came to my eyes again. "Tell me." I laid in his arms so perfectly, like we were a perfect match.

Itachi kept the blankets snug around us. "Well," The way he started made it sound as if he was telling a child a nighttime story. "You and I were together every moment. Although I tried to talk you out of it you insisted on becoming a shinobi as well. Sasuke always got angry because you were always trying to set him up with one of your friends.

As soon as you took the Jōnin exams, you demanded we move in together. Mother and Father weren't so happy, but we managed. One night when I came home, you sat on the couch just as you did most night. This time though I was returning from a mission which you had worried so much about me that you had been sick. That was the night I promised to stay by your side until we died old and grey.

"Our home sat beside the creek that ran through the clan boundaries. That's where you told me you were pregnant. We had three children, Hana, Yoru, and you had insisted on naming one Itachi. You always said that Itachi looked exactly like me, but he had your eyes. Hana was the only girl and she was so beautiful, like her mother. When we were-"

I don't know at what point his story started becoming more of a lullaby to me, but soon I couldn't feel his arms around me anymore. All I watched were his lips as he told me the story of how we were supposed to have turned out. Then it was just movements, no sound at all. I think I tried to grip him harder, as if holding on for dear life because Itachi stopped moving his lips and just held my hand.

The warmth in my body slowly shrunk upwards. First leaving my toes and inching it's way up to my torso. I knew that when it closed in on my heart, that'd be the end. My breaths were shallow. I looked up at Itachi almost pleadingly. _Don't let me leave._

Why was it then as I was finally closing in on an end that I realized how much I had left unsaid? Hidan hated me for all I knew. There was a part of me that felt that I needed to help Sasuke a bit too. What was going to happen to Hikaru? I was leaving him too, all alone again. The only good coming from my death was running from Madara.

Itachi swept his hand over my cheek. If I wasn't already dying my heart would have stopped. His face was pinched in pain. I watched a silent tear run along his nose. Was he crying for me?

I tried to lift my hand to his face but found it rather difficult. This was so sudden, my lack of strength and all. It made me panic. Itachi brought my hand to his face. He pressed into it like he was the one needing consoling. Shakily I smiled at him and mouthed, "I love you."

Itachi squeezed my hand and nodded slowly. "I love you too." His lips were the last thing I saw before I realized it was the only thing I could see.

And although he held me so tight, I was gone.

Itachi found it hard to leave her side. He had seen so many people die. He had even killed many of those he had seen die by his own hand. This was different. Her death was digging at him. Itachi soon realized he was clinging to her when the door opened. He jumped away from her but it was only Hikaru.

He had completely forgotten about the boy. "Taylor!" Hikaru blasted to Taylor, grabbing her hand. "Taylor wake up!" With his small hands he shook her entire body like Itachi had wanted to. He begged her to wake up for a long time before Itachi pulled him away.

Hikaru ripped away from Itachi. "No! I didn't say good-bye!" He shoved his hands into Itachi stomach. "She wanted you people! She loved you! And you made her wait!" Itachi was slightly taken back. "Now she's gone. She's gone." Hikaru stood by the girl he had hoped would stand in as his mother. "She's gone." Before him Itachi saw a boy forced to mature again. He had the same eyes Sasuke had. Dead inside.

The Uchiha man rounded the bed and reached out to say his final good-byes to the last chance he had at a normal life. Hikaru territorially smacked his hand away. "Don't touch her." He looked up Itachi with such hatred.

Itachi saw red and grabbed the boy by his wrist. Taylor had believed he was better than what people made him, he wasn't going to take the unnecessary person yet again. He was going to say his part.

"You may have loved her as a mother but I loved her as a woman." He clutched Hikaru's wrist harder making him flinch. "Learn your place." When he let go Hikaru shirked away from the bed reluctantly.

Letting his eyes linger for a moment he slid them to Taylor. His anger fled. Pretending as if a hair needed put back into place Itachi glided his fingers down the side of her face. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Good-bye."

His time was up. He couldn't dawdle any longer. Dragging himself from her side he reached the roof. Just because he was mourning didn't mean he was stupid enough to think that Kakashi would just let him leave. So he ran. He dashed through the trees until he was back on track to the hideout. Itachi stopped.

"She's gone." Itachi croaked to the man perched on the branch beside him.

Hidan clutched Taylor's pendant in his hand. He brought it to his lips with an angry expression.

"She went peacefully." Itachi didn't know why he was telling his adversary such things. They sounded like words of comfort.

For once Hidan said not a word of squabble or cursing. Itachi jumped from his side. They had no more business together.

As he sat alone Hidan asked one question. _Why?_ Out of all the people who had died, it had to be the one he had fallen in love with. Jashin-sama gave Taylor to Hidan, so why did he have to take her away?

Hidan jumped to the forest floor and dug a small hole about a foot into the ground. Gently he set the pendant in the whole and watched it disappear under soil. It was the hardest thing Hidan had ever done.

_God willing, I will see her again._

* * *

**The long awaited update. El fin. No kidding. I'm so sorry if it wasn't what you expected. But it had to end. It's the only way I can start the sequel! Please be on the look out for it my generous reviewers 3**

**Thank you so much to all that reviewed and viewed alike~ NSR**


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